THE  SHOGUN'S  DAUGHTER 


||JNIV.  OF  CALIF.  LH5RARY.  LOS  ANGELES 


BY    THE  SAME  AUTHOR 


A  VOLUNTEER  WITH  PIKE:  The  True  Narrative 
of  One  Dr.  John  Robinson  and  his  Love  for 
the    Fair    Seiiorita    Vallois.      Illustrated    in 
color  by  Charlotte  Weber-Ditzler. 
Crown  8vo         $1.50 

INTO  THE  PRIMITIVE.     Illustrated   in   color   by 
Allen  T.  True. 
Third  edition.     Crown  8vo      .      .      .      $150 


A.  C.   McCLURG    &    CO. 

CHICAGO 


THE  SHOGUN'S 
DAUGHTER 

BY 

ROBERT  AMES  RENNET 

Author  of  "For  the  White  Christ," 
"Into  the  Primitive,"  etc. 

WITH  5  PICTURES  IN  COLOR 
BY  W.  D.  GOLD  BECK 


CHICAGO 

A.  C.  McCLLRG   &  CO. 
1910 


COPYRIGHT 

A.  C.  McCbURG  &  Co. 
1910 


Published  October  1,  1910 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England 


THE-  PLIMPTON  -PRESS 

[w-D-o] 
NORWOOD  'MASS-  U  '8'A 


Co 
MY  WIFE 


2126055 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I     EASTERN    SEAS 1 

II     IN  KAGOSHIMA  BAY 9 

III  THE  GENTLEMAN  WITH  Two  SWORDS     .  22 

IV  YORITOMO'S  BETROTHED 38 

V    THE  COASTS  OF  NIPPON 44 

VI    A  WILD  NIGHT 55 

VII    ON  THE  TOKAIDO 71 

VIII     THE  GEISHA        86 

IX    NIPPON'S  GREETINGS 102 

X    THE  PRINCESS  AZAI 117 

XI    ROUT  OF  THE  RONINS 129 

XII  ESCORT  TO  THE  PRINCESS         ....  143 

XIII  THE  PRINCE  OF  OWARI 154 

XIV  BEFORE  THE  SHOGUN 168 

XV    REQUITAL 182 

XVI     MITO  STRIKES 194 

XVII     IN  THE  PIT  OF  TORMENT 204 

XVIII    THE  SHADOW  OF  DEATH 220 

XIX     THE  GARDEN  OF  AZAI         235 

XX  LOVE  LAUGHS  AT  LOCKSMITHS      ...  250 

XXI     JARRING  COUNSELLORS         262 

XXII     TEA  WITH  THE  TYCOON 280 

XXIII  LESSONS  AND  LOVE        296 

XXIV  ENSNARED 310 

XXV     HARA-KIRI 320 

XXVI  HOVERING  HAWKS     .     .     .     .      .      .      .330 

XXVII  SON  BY  ADOPTION  344 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

XXVIII  HIGH  TREASON    .     .     . 

XXIX  INTRIGUE        .... 

XXX  MY  WEDDING  EVE   .      . 

XXXI  IN  THE  POWER  OF  MITO 

XXXII  LED  OUT  TO  EXECUTION 

XXXIII  BARED  BLADES    .     .     . 

XXXIV  CONCLUSION 


PAGE 

352 
366 
373 
387 
398 
407 
418 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

The  Princess  Azai Frontispiece 

Page 

She  dropped  her  blue  robe  from  her  graceful  shoulders       98 

A  row  of  little  pearls  gleamed  between  her  smiling 

red  lips 126 

"  Is  this  loyal  service  ?  "  she  asked 246 

Gengo  struck  with  deadly  aim 360 


THE   SHOGUN'S 
DAUGHTER 

CHAPTER  I  — EASTERN  SEAS 


MY  first  cruise  as  a  midshipman  in 
the  navy  of  the  United  States 
began  a  short  month  too  late  for 
me  to  share  in  the  honors  of  the 
Mexican  War.     In  other  words, 
I  came  in  at  the  foot  of  the  ser 
vice,  with  all  the  grades  above  me  fresh-stocked 
with  comparatively  young  and  vigorous  officers. 
As  a  consequence,  the  rate  of  promotion  was  so 
slow  that  the  Summer  of  1851  found  me,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-four,  still  a  middie,  with  my  lieu 
tenancy  ever  receding,  like  a  will-o'-the-wisp,  into 
the  future. 

Had  I  chosen  a  naval  career  through  necessity, 
I  might  have  continued  to  endure.  But  to  the 
equal  though  younger  heir  of  one  of  the  largest 
plantations  in  South  Carolina,  the  pay  of  even  a 
post  captain  would  have  been  of  small  concern. 
It  is,  therefore,  hardly  necessary  to  add  that  I 
had  been  lured  into  the  service  by  the  hope  of 
winning  fame  and  glory. 

in 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

That  my  choice  should  have  fallen  upon  the 
navy  rather  than  the  army  may  have  been  due  to 
the  impulse  of  heredity.  According  to  family  tra 
ditions  and  records,  one  of  my  ancestors  was  the 
famous  English  seaman  Will  Adams,  who  served 
Queen  Elizabeth  in  the  glorious  fight  against  the 
Spanish  Armada  and  afterwards  piloted  a  Dutch 
ship  through  the  dangerous  Straits  of  Magellan 
and  across  the  vast  unchartered  expanse  of  the 
Pacific  to  the  mysterious  island  empire,  then  known 
as  Cipango  or  Zipangu. 

History  itself  verifies  that  wonderful  voyage  and 
the  still  more  wonderful  fact  of  my  ancestor's  life 
among  the  Japanese  as  one  of  the  nobles  and  chief 
counsellors  of  the  great  Emperor  lyeyasu.  So 
highly  was  the  advice  of  the  bold  Englishman 
esteemed  by  the  Emperor  that  he  was  never  per 
mitted  to  return  home.  For  many  years  he  dwelt 
honorably  among  that  most  peculiar  of  Oriental 
peoples,  aiding  freely  the  few  English  and  Dutch 
who  ventured  into  the  remote  Eastern  seas.  He 
had  aided  even  the  fanatical  Portuguese  and  Span 
iards,  who,  upon  his  arrival,  had  sought  to  have 
him  and  his  handful  of  sick  and  starving  ship 
mates  executed  as  pirates.  So  it  was  he  lived  and 
died  a  Japanese  noble,  and  was  buried  with  all 
honor. 

With  the  blood  of  such  a  man  in  my  veins,  it 
is  not  strange  that  I  turned  to  the  sea.  Yet  it  is 

[2] 


EASTERN    SEAS 

no  less  strange  that  three  years  in  the  service 
should  bring  me  to  an  utter  weariness  of  the 
dull  naval  routine.  Notable  as  were  the  achieve 
ments  of  our  navy  throughout  the  world  in  respect 
to  exploration  and  other  peaceful  triumphs,  it 
has  ever  surprised  me  that  in  the  absence  of  war 
and  promotion  I  should  have  lingered  so  long  in 
my  inferior  position. 

In  war  the  humiliation  of  servitude  to  seniority 
may  be  thrust  from  thought  by  the  hope  of 
winning  superior  rank  through  merit.  Deprived 
of  this  opportunity,  I  could  not  but  chafe  under 
my  galling  subjection  to  the  commands  of  men 
never  more  than  my  equals  in  social  rank  and  far 
too  often  my  inferiors. 

The  climax  came  after  a  year  on  the  China 
Station,  to  which  I  had  obtained  an  assignment 
in  the  hope  of  renewed  action  against  the  arrogant 
Celestials.  Disappointed  in  this,  and  depressed 
by  a  severe  spell  of  fever  contracted  at  Honkong, 
I  resigned  the  service  at  Shanghai,  and  took  pas 
sage  for  New  York,  by  way  of  San  Francisco  and 
the  Horn,  on  the  American  clipper  Sea  Flight. 

We  cleared  for  the  Sandwich  Islands  August 
the  twenty -first,  1851.  The  second  noon  found 
us  safe  across  the  treacherous  bars  of  the  Yang- 
tse-Kiang  and  headed  out  across  the  Eastern 
Sea,  the  southwest  monsoon  bowling  us  along 
at  a  round  twelve  knots. 

f3l 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

The  double  lassitude  of  my  convalescence  and 
the  season  had  rendered  me  too  indifferent  to 
inquire  about  my  fellow-passengers.  We  were 
well  under  way  before  I  learned  that,  aside  from 
the  officers  and  crew,  I  was  the  only  person  aboard 
ship.  In  view  of  the  voyage  of  from  five  to  six 
months'  duration  which  lay  before  me,  this 
discovery  roused  me  to  the  point  of  observing 
the  characters  of  the  skipper  and  his  mates. 
Much  to  my  chagrin,  I  found  that  all  were  Yankees 
of  the  most  pronounced  nasal  type. 

As  a  late  naval  officer  no  less  than  as  a  Southern 
gentleman,  I  could  not  humble  myself  to  social 
intercourse  with  the  bucko  mates.  Fortunately 
Captain  Downing  was  somewhat  less  unbearable, 
and  had  the  good  taste  to  share  my  interest  in 
the  mysterious  islands  of  Japan,  as  well  as  my 
detestation  of  China.  Even  as  the  low,  dreary 
coast  of  Kiangsu  faded  from  view  in  our  wake, 
we  attained  to  a  cordial  exchange  of  congratulations 
over  the  fact  that  we  were  at  last  quit  of  the  filth 
and  fantasies  of  the  Celestial  Empire. 

As  we  wheeled  about  from  the  last  glance 
astern,  Downing  pointed  over  the  side  with  a 
jerk  of  his  thumb.  "Look  at  that  dirty  flood, 
Mr.  Adams.  Just  like  a  China  river  to  try  to 
turn  the  whole  sea  China  yellow!  Conceited  as 
John  Chinaman  himself!" 

"Give  the  devil  his  due,"  I  drawled.  "Biggest 

[4] 


EASTERN    SEAS 

nation    on   earth,    and    close    upon    the    biggest 
river." 

"Aye,  and  thank  Providence,  every  last  one 
of  their  three  hundred  million  pigtails  lie  abaft 
my  taffrail,  and  every  drop  of  that  foul  flood 
soon  to  lose  itself  in  clean  blue  water!"  He 
stared  ahead,  combing  his  fingers  through  his 
bushy  whiskers,  his  shrewd  eyes  twinkling  with 
satisfaction.  "Aye!  blue  water  —  the  whole 
breadth  of  the  Pacific  before  us,  and  Asia  astern." 

"Not  all  Asia,"  I  corrected.  "We  have  yet 
to  clear  the  Loo  Choos." 

"The  Loo  Choos,"  he  repeated.  "Queer  people, 
I  guess.  They  are  said  to  be  a  kind  of  Chinamen." 

"It's  hard  to  tell,"  I  replied.  "They  may  be 
Chinese.  Yet  some  say  the  islands  are  subject 
to  Japan." 

"To  Japan?  Then  they  Ve  got  good  reason 
to  be  queer!"  He  paced  across  the  deck  and 
back,  his  jaw  set  and  eyes  keen  with  sudden  re 
solve.  "By  ginger,  I  '11  do  it  this  passage,  sir, 
danged  if  I  won't!  I  Ve  been  wanting  to  see 
something  of  the  Japanese  islands  ever  since 
I  came  out  to  the  China  seas  as  a  cabin-boy,  and 
that  's  fifty  years  gone." 

" You'd  run  out  of  your  course  for  a  glimpse 
of  the  Japanese  coast?"  I  exclaimed,  no  less  in 
credulous  than  delighted. 

"More    than    a    glimpse,    Mr.    Adams.     Van 

[5] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Diemen  Strait  is  a  shorter  course  than  the  Loo 
Choo  passage,  and  with  this  weather  - 

"Midst  of  the  typhoon  season,"  I  cut  in  with 
purposeful  superciliousness  of  tone. 

The  captain  of  a  clipper  is  as  sensitive  to  any 
aspersions  on  his  seamanship  as  the  grayest 
master  of  navigation  in  the  navy.  Downing 
bit  snappily.  :' Typhoon  be  damned!  I  navi 
gated  a  whaler  through  uncharted  seas  twenty 
odd  years,  and  never  lost  my  ship.  I  '11  take 
the  Sea  Flight  through  Van  Diemen  Strait,  blow 
or  calm,  sir." 

"No  doubt,"  I  murmured  with  ambiguous 
suavity. 

He  scowled,  puzzled  at  my  smile.  :'You  naval 
officers!  Commanded  my  first  ship  before  you 
were  born  —  before  I  had  need  of  a  razor. 
What 's  more,  I  'm  third  owner  in  this  clipper, 
and  I  've  discretion  over  my  course.  The  skipper 
who  carries  the  first  cargo  out  of  a  Japanese 
port  is  going  to  get  the  cream,  and  I  've  an  idee 
the  Japs  are  loosening  up  a  bit.  I  'm  going  to 
put  into  Kagoshima  Bay,  where  the  old  Morri 
son  tried  to  land  the  castaway  Japs  in  'thirty- 
seven." 

"She  was  fired  upon  most  savagely  by  the 
soldiers  of  the  Prince  of  Satsuma,"  I  replied. 
"Why  not  try  Nagasaki?" 

"Nagasaki?  —  Deshima!"  he  rumbled.  "I'm 

[6] 


EASTERN    SEAS 

no  Dutchman  or  yellow  Chinee,  to  be  treated 
like  a  dog.  What 's  more,  it  's  too  far  up  the 
west  coast.  No!  I  '11  chance  Kagoshima.  That 
Satsuma  king  or  mandarin,  whatever  he  is,  may 
have  changed  his  mind  since  the  Morrison, 
or  there  may  be  a  new  one  now,  with  more  liberal 
idees." 

"Since  you  're  resolved  upon  it,  skipper,  I  must 
confess  I  have  reasons  of  my  own  to  be  pleased 
with  your  plan,"  I  said,  and  at  his  interested 
glance,  I  told  him  somewhat  in  detail  of  my  daring 
ancestor  Will  Adams,  the  first  Englishman  ever 
to  reach  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun  and  the  only 
European  ever  made  a  Japanese  noble. 

"H'm.  Married  a  Japanese  wife,  and  left 
children  by  her,"  commented  Downing,  and  he 
grinned  broadly.  "I  must  ask  leave  for  you  to 
land  and  look  up  your  heathen  kin." 

"You  forget  yourself,  sir,"  I  caught  him  up. 
"Be  kind  enough  hereafter  to  refrain  from  im 
pertinence  when  speaking  of  persons  related  to 
me." 

He  stared  in  astonishment.  "Well,  I  '11  be 
durned!  Two  hundred  years  and  more  since 
your  forefather  died,  you  said  - 

"None  the  less,"  I  insisted  sharply,  "my  cousins 
are  my  cousins,  sir.  If  there  are  any  of  my  ances 
tor's  Japanese  descendants  now  living,  they 
are  related  to  me,  however  remote  may  be  the 

[7] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

degree.  Therefore  they  are  entitled  to  be  spoken 
of  with  respect." 

"Well,  I  '11  swan!"  he  muttered.  "No  offence, 
Mr.  Adams." 

I  bowed  my  acceptance  of  his  uncouth  apology, 
but  maintained  my  dignity.  "As  I  have  said, 
sir,  my  ancestor  was  ennobled  by  the  great  Emperor 
lyeyasu.  Heathen  or  not,  rest  assured  that  his 
Japanese  descendants,  if  any  survive,  are  at  the 
least  gentlefolk." 

"No  doubt,  no  doubt,"  he  grunted.  "You  '11 
soon  have  a  chance  to  inquire.  I  'm  going  to  take 
my  ship  up  Kagoshima  Bay,  fog,  shine,  or  blow." 

He  turned  on  his  heel,  and  ordered  the  helms 
man  to  put  the  ship's  head  due  east.  I  went 
below  in  a  glow  of  pleasant  anticipation.  There 
was  no  mistaking  the  look  in  Downing's  face. 
Nothing  could  now  shake  his  stubborn  resolve. 
I  was  to  see  the  mysterious  Cipango  of  Marco 
Polo  and  Mendez  Pinto,  the  lappan  of  my  ancestor, 
-  the  land  that  for  almost  two  and  a  half  centuries 
had  shut  itself  in  from  all  communication  with 
the  wide  world  other  than  through  the  severely 
restricted  trade  with  the  Dutch  and  Chinese  at 
Nagasaki. 


[8] 


CHAPTER  II  —  IN  KAGOSHIMA  BAY 

DAWN  of  the  third  day  found  us  ten 
miles  off  the  north  shore  of  the  small 
volcanic  island  that  stands  second  in 
the  entrance  to  Van  Diemen  Strait. 
The    lurid    glare    reflected    from    its 
crater  into   the   ascending  clouds   of   smoke  had 
served  as  a  beacon  during  the  last  hours  of  dark 
ness.     Daylight  confirmed  the  calculations  of  our 
position  by  the  sight  of  the  beautiful  smoking  cone 
of  Horner's  Peak,  lying  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles 
to   the  northeast   on    the   southern   extremity  of 
Satsuma,   and    the    rugged    peninsula    of   Osumi, 
ending   in    the    sharp    point    of    Cape    Satanomi, 
a  like  distance  to  the  eastward. 

The  moment  our  landfall  was  clear  in  the 
growing  light,  the  Sea  Flight  came  around 
and  headed  straight  between  the  two  peninsulas. 
A  run  of  three  hours  before  the  monsoon,  over  the 
bluest  of  white-capped  seas,  brought  us  well 
up  into  the  entrance  of  Kagoshima  Bay,  with 
Horner's  Peak  a  few  miles  off  on  the  port  beam, 
and  the  bold,  verdant  hills  of  Osumi  to  starboard. 
Close  along  each  shore  the  sea  broke  on  half- 

[9] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

submerged  rocks,  but  the  broad  channel  showed 
no  signs  of  reefs  or  shoals,  and  Downing  stood 
boldly  in,  without  shortening  sail. 

Having  none  of  the  responsibility  of  naviga 
ting  the  ship,  I  was  able  to  loll  upon  the  rail  and 
enjoy  to  the  utmost  the  magnificent  scenery  of 
the  bay.  On  either  shore  the  mountainous  coast 
trended  off  to  the  northward,  an  emerald  setting 
to  the  sapphire  bay,  with  the  lofty  broken  peak 
of  a  smoking  volcano  towering  precipitously  at 
the  head  of  the  thirty-mile  stretch  of  land-girded 
waters.  Far  inland  still  loftier  peaks  cast  dim 
outlines  through  the  summery  haze. 

Every  valley  and  sheltered  mountain-side  along 
the  bay  showed  heavy  growths  of  pines  and  other 
trees,  among  which  were  scattered  groups  of 
straw-thatched,  high-peaked  cottages.  Many  of 
the  slopes  were  under  cultivation  and  terraced 
far  up  towards  the  crests,  while  every  cove  was 
fringed  with  the  straggling  hovels  of  a  fishing 
village. 

In  every  direction  the  bay  was  dotted  with 
the  square  white  sails  of  fishing  smacks  and  small 
junks,  —  vessels  that  differed  from  Chinese  craft 
in  the  absence  of  bamboo  ribs  to  the  sails  and 
still  more  in  the  presence  of  the  yawning  port 
which  gaped  in  their  sterns.  I  concluded  that 
this  extraordinary  build  was  due  to  the  Japanese 
policy  of  keeping  the  population  at  home,  for 

[10] 


IN    KAGOSHIMA    BAY 

certainly  none  but  a  madman  could  have  dreamed 
of  undertaking  any  other  than  a  coastwise  cruise 
in  one  of  these  unseaworthy  vessels.  Another 
peculiarity  was  that  not  one  of  the  craft  showed 
a  trace  of  paint. 

The  majestic  apparition  of  the  Sea  Flight 
in  their  secluded  haven  seemed  to  fill  the  Japanese 
sailors  with  wildest  panic.  One  and  all,  their 
craft  scattered  before  her  like  flocks  of  startled 
waterfowl,  for  the  most  part  running  inshore 
for  shelter  at  the  nearest  villages  or  behind  the 
verdant  islets  that  rose  here  and  there  above  the 
rippling  blue  waters.  A  few  stood  up  the  bay, 
probably  to  spread  the  alarm,  but  the  clipper 
easily  overhauled  and  passed  the  swiftest. 

By  noon,  though  the  wind  had  fallen  to  a  light 
breeze,  we  had  sailed  some  thirty  miles  up  the  bay 
and  were  within  three  miles  of  the  volcano,  which 
stood  out,  apparently  on  an  island,  with  a  deep 
inlet  running  in  on  either  side.  On  the  Satsuma 
shore,  across  the  mouth  of  the  western  inlet, 
our  glasses  had  long  since  brought  to  view  the 
gray  expanse  of  Kagoshima,  rising  to  a  walled 
hill  crowned  with  large  buildings,  whose  quaint, 
curved  roofs  and  many-storied  pagoda  towers 
recalled  China. 

All  along  the  bay  shores,  great  bells  were  booming 
the  alarm,  and  crowds  of  people  rushed  about  the 
villages  in  wild  disorder,  while  the  junks  and  smacks 

mi 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

continued  to  fly  before  us  as  if  we  were  pirates. 
Smiling  grimly  at  the  commotion  raised  by  his 
daring  venture,  Downing  shortened  sail  and 
stood  into  the  opening  of  the  western  inlet 
until  we  could  make  out  clearly  with  the 
naked  eye  the  general  features  of  the  city  and 
its  citadel. 

So  far  the  lead  had  given  us  from  forty  to  eighty 
fathoms.  When  we  found  thirty  fathoms  with 
good  holding  ground,  Downing  decided  that  caution 
was  the  better  part  of  curiosity,  and  gave  orders 
to  let  go  anchor.  Hardly  had  we  swung  about  to 
our  cable  when  a  large  half-decked  clipper-built 
boat  bore  down  upon  us  from  the  city  with  the 
boldness  of  a  hawk  swooping  upon  a  swan.  The 
little  craft  was  driven  by  the  long  sculls  of  a 
number  of  naked  brown  oarsmen  in  the  stern. 
Amidships  and  forward  swarmed  twenty  or  thirty 
soldiers,  clad  in  fantastic  armor  of  brass  and 
lacquered  leather,  and  bearing  antique  muskets 
and  matchlocks. 

In  the  stern  of  the  guard-boat  fluttered  a  small 
flag  with  the  design  of  a  circled  white  cross,  while 
from  the  staff  on  the  prow  a  great  tassel  of  silky 
filaments  trailed  down  almost  to  the  surface  of 
the  water.  Beneath  the  tassel  stood  two  men  with 
robes  of  gray  silk  and  mushroom-shaped  hats 
tied  to  their  chins  with  bows  of  ribbon.  I  should 
have  taken  them  for  priests  had  not  each  carried 

[12] 


IN    KA(i()SHIMA    BAY 

a  brace  of  swords  thrust  horizontally  through  his 
sash-like  belt. 

At  a  sign  from  the  older  of  these  officers,  the 
boat  drove  in  alongside  the  starboard  quarter. 
As  Downing  and  I  stepped  to  the  rail  and  gazed 
down  upon  them,  the  younger  officer  flung  aboard 
a  bamboo  stick  that  had  been  cleft  at  one  end  to 
hold  a  piece  of  folded  paper.  Downing  spun 
about  to  pick  up  the  message.  But  I,  calling 
to  mind  the  reputed  courtesy  of  the  Japanese, 
was  seized  with  a  whim  to  test  their  repu 
tation  in  this  respect,  and  bowed  profoundly  to 
the  officers,  addressing  them  with  Oriental  grav 
ity:  "Gentlemen,  permit  me  to  request  you  to 
come  aboard  and  favor  me  with  your  company 
at  dinner." 

Together  the  two  swordsmen  returned  my  bow, 
slipping  their  hands  down  their  thighs  to  their 
knees  and  bending  until  their  backs  were  hori 
zontal.  After  a  marked  pause  they  straightened, 
their  olive  faces  aglow  with  polite  smiles,  and  the 
younger  man  astonished  me  by  replying  in  distinct 
though  oddly  accented  English:  "Honorable  sir, 
thangs,  no.  To-morrow,  yes.  You  wait  to 
morrow?" 

Before  I  could  answer,  his  companion  muttered 
what  seemed  to  be  a  grave  remonstrance.  He 
was  replying  in  tones  as  liquid  and  musical  as 
Italian  when  Downing  swung  back  beside  me. 

[13] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Look  here,  Mr.  Adams,"  he  grumbled,  thrust 
ing  out  a  sheet  of  crinkly  yellow  paper.  "Just 
like  their  heathen  impudence!" 

I  hastened  to  read  the  message,  which  was 
written,  in  the  Chinese  manner,  with  an  ink- 
brush  instead  of  a  quill,  but  the  words  were  in 
English,  as  legible  and  brief  as  they  were  to  the 
point: 

"You  bring  our  people  shipwrecked?  Yes?  Take  them 
Nagasaki.  You  come  trade  ?  Yes?  Go.  Cannon  fire." 

Downing  scowled  upon  the  bizarre  soldiers  and 
their  commanders  with  contemptuous  disapproval, 
and  pointing  to  the  message,  bawled  roughly: 
"Ahoy,  there,  you  yellow  heathen,  this  ain't  any 
way  to  treat  a  peaceful  merchantman.  Must 
take  us  for  pirates." 

The  younger  officer  looked  up,  with  his  polite 
smile,  and  asked  in  a  placid  tone:  "You  come 
why?" 

''Trade,  of  course.     What  else  d' you  reckon?" 
''Trade?     You  go  Nagasaki.     Thangs." 
"Nagasaki!"    growled    Downing.     ;<Take    me 
for  a  Dutchman?    You  put  back,  fast  as  you  can 
paddle,    and    tell    your    mandarin,    or    whatever 
he  calls  himself,  that  here  's  an   American  clipper 
lying  in  his  harbor,  ready  to  buy  or  barter  for 
tea,  chinaware,  or  silks." 

"Thangs.     You  go   Nagasaki  —  you  go  Naga- 

[14] 


IN    KAGOSHIMA    BAY 

saki, "  reiterated  the  officer,  smiling  more  politely 
than  ever,  and  signing  us  down  the  bay  with  a 
graceful  wave  of  his  small  fan.  "No  get  things 
aboard.  You  go  Nagasaki.  Ships  no  can  load." 

"That 's  easy  cured,"  replied  Downing.  "Tell 
your  mandarin  I  '11  get  under  way  first  thing  to 
morrow  and  run  in  close  as  our  draught  will  let 
us.  If  we  can't  come  'longside  his  bund,  we  can 
lighter  cargo  in  sampans." 

The  officers  exchanged  quick  glances,  and  the 
younger  one  repeated  his  affable  order  with 
unshaken  placidity :  "You  go  Nagasaki.  Thangs." 

Without  waiting  for  further  words,  both  bowed, 
and  the  older  one  signed  to  the  scullers  with  his 
fan.  The  men  thrust  off  and  brought  their 
graceful  craft  about  with  admirable  dexterity. 
Again  their  officers  bent  low  in  response  to  my 
parting  bow,  and  the  long  sculls  sent  the  boat 
skimming  cityward,  across  the  sparkling  water, 
at  racing  speed. 

Downing  nodded  after  them  and  permitted 
his  hard  mouth  to  relax  in  a  half  grin.  "That's 
the  way  to  talk  to  heathen,  Mr.  Adams.  No 
begging  favors;  just  straight-for'a'd  offer  to  trade. 
You  '11  see  to-morrow,  sir." 

At  this  moment  the  impatient  steward  an 
nounced  dinner,  and  we  hastened  below  with 
appetites  sharpened  by  pleasant  anticipations. 
The  more  we  discussed  the  courteous  speech 

[15] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

and  manners  of  our  visitors  the  more  we  became 
convinced  that  they  had  meant  nothing  by  their 
notice  to  leave,  but  would  soon  return  with  a 
cordial  assent  to  our  proposals. 

To  our  surprise,  the  afternoon  wore  away  without 
a  second  visit  either  from  the  guard-boat  or  any 
other  craft.  Junk  after  junk  and  scores  of  fishing 
smacks  sailed  past  us  cityward,  but  all  alike 
held  off  beyond  hail.  Still  more  noteworthy 
was  the  fact  that  no  vessel  came  out  of  the  inlet 
or  across  from  the  city. 

At  last,  shortly  before  sunset,  we  sighted  four 
guard-boats,  armed  with  swivels,  bearing  down 
upon  us  from  the  nearest  point  of  the  city.  Our 
first  thought  was  that  we  were  to  be  attacked 
as  wantonly  as  had  been  the  Morrison  and 
other  ships  that  had  sought  to  open  communica 
tion  with  the  Japanese.  But  at  half  a  cable's 
length  they  veered  to  starboard  and  began  to 
circle  around  the  Sea  Flight  in  line  ahead, 
forming  a  cordon.  It  was  not  difficult  to  divine 
that  their  purpose  was  to  prevent  us  from  making 
any  attempt  at  landing. 

That  they  intended  to  maintain  their  patrol 
throughout  the  night  became  evident  to  me  when, 
after  lingering  over  two  bottles  of  my  choice 
Madeira  with  the  skipper,  I  withdrew  from  the 
supper- table  to  my  stateroom.  The  cabin  air 
being  close  and  sweltering  and  my  blood  some- 

[16] 


IN    KAGOSHIMA    BAY 

what  heated  from  the  wine,  I  turned  down  my 
reading  lamp  and  leaned  out  one  of  my  stern 
windows.  Refreshed  by  the  cool  puffs  of  the  night 
breeze  that  came  eddying  around  the  ship's  quarters 
as  she  rocked  gently  on  a  slight  swell,  I  soon 
began  to  heed  my  surroundings  with  all  the  alert 
ness  of  a  sailor  in  a  hostile  port. 

The  night  was  moonless  and  partly  overcast, 
but  the  pitch  darkness  served  only  to  make  clearer 
the  beacon  fires  which  blazed  along  the  coast 
so  far  as  my  circle  of  vision  extended.  No  beacons 
had  been  fired  immediately  about  Kagoshima, 
but  the  city  was  aglow  with  a  soft  illumination 
of  sufficient  radiance  to  bring  out  the  black  out 
lines  of  the  guard-boats  whenever  they  passed 
between  me  and  the  shore  in  their  slow  circling 
of  the  ship.  The  booming  of  the  bells,  however, 
had  ceased,  and  the  only  sounds  that  broke  the 
hot,  damp  stillness  of  the  night  were  the  lapping 
of  ripples  alongside  and  the  low  creaking  of  the 
ship's  rigging. 

An  hour  passed  and  I  still  lolled  half  out  of 
my  window,  puffing  a  Manila  cheroot,  when  I 
heard  a  slight  splash  directly  below  me.  It  was 
a  sound  such  as  might  be  made  by  a  leaping  fish, 
but  in  Eastern  waters  life  often  depends  on  instant 
vigilance  against  treachery.  I  drew  back  on  the 
second  to  grasp  a  revolver  and  extinguish  the 
lamp.  Within  half  a  minute  I  was  back  again 

[17] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

at  my  window,  peering  warily  down  into  the  black 
ness  under  the  ship's  stern.  There  seemed  to 
be  a  blot  on  the  phosphorescent  water. 

"Whoever  you  are,"  I  said  in  a  low  tone, 
"sheer  off  until  daylight,  or  I  will  fire." 

The  response  was  an  unmistakable  sigh  of 
relief,  followed  by  an  eager  whisper:  "Tojin  sama 
-  honorable  foreigner,  only  one  man  come." 

Almost  at  the  first  word  I  knew  that  my  visitor 
was  the  younger  officer  of  the  guard-boat. 

"  You  come  alone?  "  I  demanded.     "  What  for?  " 

"Make  still,  honorable  foreigner!"  he  cautioned. 
"Ometsuke  hear." 

"Ometsuke?" 

"  Watchers  —  spies." 

;<You  Ve  slipped  through  the  guard-boats  on 
a  secret  visit!"  I  whispered,  curiosity  fast  over 
coming  my  caution.  "  Why  do  you  come?  " 

''To  go  in  ship,  honorable  sir, — England, 
'Merica,  five  continents  go — no  stop.  In  boat 
to  pay,  gold  is." 

For  a  moment  astonishment  held  me  mute. 
Who  had  ever  before  heard  of  a  Japanese  volun 
tarily  leaving  his  own  shores?  Many  as  had 
been  picked  up  by  whalers  and  clippers  in  the 
neighboring  seas,  I  knew  of  no  instance  where 
the  rescued  men  had  not  been  either  wrecked 
or  blown  too  far  out  to  sea  to  be  able  to  navigate 
their  miserable  junks  into  a  home  port.  The 

[18] 


IN    KAGOSHIMA    BAY 

thought  flashed  upon  me  that  the  man  might  be 
a  criminal.  Only  the  strongest  of  motives  could 
have  impelled  him  to  seek  to  break  the  inflexible 
law  of  his  country  against  foreign  travel.  But 
the  memory  of  his  smiling,  high-bred  face  was 
against  the  supposition  of  guilt. 

He  broke  in  upon  my  hesitancy  with  an  irresist 
ible  appeal:  "Tojin  sama,  you  no  take  me?  One 
year  I  wait  to  board  a  black  ship  and  go  the  five 
continents." 

"Stand  by,"  I  answered.  "I  '11  drop  you  a  line. 
But  bear  in  mind,  no  treachery,  or  I  '11  blow  you 
to  kingdom  come!" 

"Honorable  sir!"  he  murmured,  in  a  tone  of  such 
surprise  and  reproach  as  to  sweep  away  my  last 
doubt. 

Having  no  line  handy,  I  whipped  the  bedclothes 
from  my  berth  and  knotted  the  silken  coverlet 
to  one  of  the  stout  linen  sheets.  The  latter  I 
made  fast  to  a  handle  of  my  sea-chest,  and  lowered 
the  coverlet  through  the  cabin  window,  exposing 
outboard  as  little  as  possible  of  the  white  sheet. 

"Stand  by,"  I  whispered  downward.  "Here's 
your  line." 

In  a  moment  I  felt  a  gentle  tugging  at  the  end 
of  the  line,  followed  by  a  soft  murmur:  "Honorable 
sir,  pleased  to  haul." 

Though  puzzled,  I  hauled  in  on  the  line,  to 
which  something  of  light  weight  had  been  made 

[19] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

fast.  The  mystery  was  soon  solved.  The  end 
of  the  line  brought  into  my  grasp  two  longish 
objects.  A  touch  told  me  they  were  sheathed 
swords.  My  visitor  had  proved  his  faith  by 
first  sending  up  his  weapons. 

I  cleared  the  line  and  dropped  it  down  again, 
with  a  cordial  word  of  invitation:  "Come  aboard! 
Can  you  climb?" 

"I  climb,  tojin  sama"  he  whispered  back. 

There  was  a  short  pause,  and  then  the  line 
taughtened.  He  came  up  with  seamanlike  quick 
ness  and  agility.  His  form  appeared  dimly  below 
me  as  he  swung  up,  hand  over  hand.  I  reached 
out  and  helped  him  draw  himself  in  through  the 
window.  Pushing  him  aside,  I  sought  to  jerk 
in  my  line.  It  taughtened  with  a  heavy  tug. 

"What's  this?"  I  exclaimed.  "You  made  fast 
to  your  boat.  It  should  have  been  cast  adrift." 

"Boat  loose  is,"  he  replied,  with  unfailing 
suavity. 

:'The  line  is  fast,"  I  retorted. 

I  felt  his  hands  on  the  sheet,  and  he  leaned 
past  me  out  of  the  window. 

:'Your  dunnage,  of  course!"  I  muttered,  and, 
regretful  of  my  impatience,  I  fell  to  hauling  with 
him. 

One  good  heave  cleared  our  load  from  the  boat, 
which  was  left  free  to  drift  up  the  harbor  with 
wind  and  tide.  The  thought  that  it  might  be 

[20] 


IN    KAGOSHIMA    BAY 

sighted  and  overhauled  by  the  guard-boat  patrol 
quickened  my  pull  at  the  line.  A  few  more 
heaves  brought  up  to  the  window  a  cylindrical 
bundle  or  bale,  which  the  Japanese  grasped  and 
drew  inboard  before  I  could  lend  a  hand. 

My  visitor  was  aboard,  dunnage  and  all,  and, 
so  far  as  I  could  tell,  he  had  not  been  detected 
either  by  the  men  of  the  guard-boats  or  the  watch 
above  us  on  the  poop. 


[21] 


CHAPTER  III  -    THE  GENTLEMAN  WITH 
Two  SWORDS 

FOR  a  full  half-minute  I  leaned  out,  listen 
ing  intently.     No  alarm  broke  the  peace 
ful  stillness  of  the  night.     I  closed  the 
window  and  drew  the  curtains.     Having 
carefully  covered  the  panes,  I  struck  a 
lucifer  match  and  crossed  over  to  light  my  large 
swinging   lamp.     Three   more   steps   brought   me 
to  the  stateroom  door,  which  I  locked  and  bolted. 
Turning  about  as    the  lamp  flamed  up    to  full 
brightness,  I  saw  my  guest  standing  well  to  one 
side  of  the  window,  his  narrow  oblique  eyes  glan 
cing  about  the  room  with  intense  yet  well-bred 
curiosity. 

His  dress  was  far  different  from  what  it  had 
been  aboard  the  guard-boat.  In  place  of  the  baggy 
trousers  and  flowing  robes  of  silk,  his  body  was 
now  scantily  covered  with  a  smock-like  garment 
of  coarse  blue  cotton,  and  his  legs  were  wound 
about  with  black  leggings  of  still  coarser  stuff. 
On  his  feet  were  straw  sandals,  secured  only  with 
a  leather  thong  that  passed  between  the  great 
and  second  toes.  His  bare  head  gave  me  my 

[22] 


TWO    SWORDS 

first  chance  to  view  at  close  quarters  the  curious 
fashion  in  which,  after  the  manner  of  his  country, 
his  hair  was  shaved  off  from  brow  to  nape,  and  the 
side  locks  twisted  together  and  laid  forward  on 
the  crown  in  a  small  gunhammer  cue. 

All  this  I  took  in  at  a  glance  as  I  turned  back 
towards  him.  Meeting  my  gaze,  he  beamed  upon 
me  with  a  grateful  smile  and  bowed  far  over, 
sliding  his  hands  down  his  thighs  to  his  knees 
in  the  peculiar  manner  I  had  observed  when  he 
was  aboard  the  guard-boat. 

Not  to  be  outdone  in  politeness,  I  bowed  in 
response.  "Welcome  aboard  the  Sea  Flight, 
sir.  Pray  be  seated." 

At  the  word,  he  dropped  to  what  seemed  to  be 
a  most  uncomfortable  posture  on  his  knees  and 
heels. 

"Not  that,"  I  protested,  and  I  pointed  to  a 
cushioned  locker.  "Have  a  seat." 

He  shook  his  head  smilingly,  and  replied  in 
an  odd  Dutch  dialect,  as  inverted  as  his  English 
but  far  more  fluent,  that  he  was  quite  comfortable. 

"Very  well,"  I  said  in  the  same  language. 
"Let  us  become  acquainted.  I  am  Worth  Adams 
of  South  Carolina,  lately  resigned  from  the  navy 
of  the  United  States." 

"Merica?"  he  questioned. 

I  bowed,  and  catching  up  from  under  the  window 
his  curved  long  sword  and  straight  short  sword, 

[23] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

or  dirk,  I  presented  them  to  him  by  the  sheaths. 
He  waved  them  aside,  bowing  and  smiling  in 
evident  gratification  at  my  offer.  I  insisted. 
He  clasped  his  hands  before  him,  palm  to  palm, 
in  a  gesture  of  polite  protest.  I  drew  back  and 
hung  the  weapons  on  the  wall  rack  that  held  my 
service  sword.  He  flung  himself  across,  beside 
his  bale  of  dunnage,  and  plucked  at  the  lashings. 

As  I  turned  to  him  he  unrolled  the  oiled  paper 
in  which  the  bundles  were  wrapped.  The  con 
tents  opened  out  in  a  veritable  curio  shop  of 
Oriental  articles.  There  were  three  or  four  pairs 
of  straw  sandals,  two  pairs  of  lacquered  clogs, 
a  folding  fan,  a  bundle  of  cream-colored,  crinkly 
paper,  a  tiny  silver-bowled  pipe,  two  or  three 
small  red-lacquered  cases,  a  black  mushroom  hat 
of  lacquered  paper,  and  a  number  of  robes,  toed 
socks  and  other  garments,  all  of  silk  and  some 
exquisitely  embroidered  in  gold  thread  and  colors. 

From  the  midst  of  one  of  the  silken  heaps  he 
uncovered  a  sword  whose  silk-corded  hilt  and 
shark-skin  scabbard  were  alike  decorated  with 
gold  dragons.  Straightening  on  his  knees,  he 
held  the  weapon  out  to  me,  his  face  beaming  with 
grateful  friendship.  "Wo  —  Wort  —  Woroto  Sama, 
honorable  gift  take." 

"Gift!"  I  exclaimed.  "I  cannot  accept  so 
splendid  a  gift  from  you." 

"Exkoos!"  he  murmured  in  an  apologetic  tone, 

[24] 


TWO    SWORDS 

and  holding  the  sword  with  the  edge  towards 
himself  and  the  hilt  to  his  left,  he  slowly  drew 
it  out  until  two  or  three  inches  of  the  mirror- 
like  blade  showed  between  the  twisted  dragon 
of  the  guard  and  the  lip  of  the  scabbard.  Pointing 
first  to  the  shark-tooth  mark  running  down  the 
length  of  the  blade  and  then  to  a  Chinese  letter 
near  the  guard,  he  explained  persuasively,  "Good, 
Masamune  him  make." 

:'The  more  reason  why  I  should  refuse  such 
a  gift,"  I  insisted. 

He  rose  to  his  feet  and  bowed  with  utmost 
dignity.  ;'You  him  take.  Low  down  Yoritomo 
me,  honorable  son  high  honorable  Owari  dono, 
same  Shogun  brother." 

"  What !     Your  father  a  brother  of  the  Shogun  - 
of  your  Emperor?" 

He  stood  a  moment  pondering.  "Shogun 
cousin,"  he  replied. 

"You  mean,  your  father  and  the  Shogun  are 
cousins?" 

He  nodded,  and  again  held  out  the  sword.  "You 
him  take." 

"With  pleasure!"  I  responded,  and  I  accepted 
the  gift  as  freely  as  it  was  offered.  A  cousin  of 
the  Emperor  of  Japan  should  be  well  able  to 
afford  even  such  extravagant  gifts  as  this  beautiful 
weapon. 

"My  thanks!"  I  cried,  and  I  half  turned  to 

[25] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

bare  the  sword  in  the  full  light  of  the  lamp. 
Though  of  a  shape  entirely  novel  to  me,  the  thick 
narrow  blade  balanced  perfectly  in  my  grasp.  Being 
neither  tall  nor  robust,  I  found  it  rather  heavy, 
and  the  length  of  the  hilt  convinced  me  that  it 
was  intended  to  be  used  as  a  two-handed  sword 
by  the  slightly  built  Japanese.  I  presented  it, 
hilt  foremost,  to  Yoritomo.  "Pray  show  me,  sir, 
how  you  hold  it." 

Jle  stared  at  me  in  a  bewildered  manner.  I 
repeated  my  request,  and  thrust  the  hilt  into  his 
hand.  After  a  moment's  hesitancy,  which  I 
mistook  for  confusion,  he  reached  for  the  scabbard 
as  well,  sheathed  the  sword,  and  thrust  it  into  his 
narrow  cotton  sash.  When  he  turned  to  kneel 
beside  his  dunnage,  I  flushed  with  anger  at  what 
I  took  to  be  a  deliberate  refusal  of  my  request. 

He  rose  with  a  wooden  chopstick  in  his  hand. 
Politely  waving  me  to  one  side,  he  stepped  out 
into  the  clear  centre  of  the  stateroom  and  bent 
to  set  the  chopstick  upright  on  the  floor.  Even 
had  the  ship  been  motionless,  I  doubt  if  he  could 
have  made  the  little  six-inch  piece  of  wood  stand 
on  end  for  more  than  a  fraction  of  a  second. 
Yet,  having  placed  it  in  position,  he  suddenly 
freed  it  and  sprang  back  to  strike  a  two-handed 
blow  with  the  sword,  direct  from  the  sheath, 
with  amazing  swiftness.  The  chopstick,  caught 
by  the  razor-edged  blade  before  it  could  topple 

[26] 


TWO    SWORDS 

over,  was  clipped  in  two  across  the  middle.  In 
a  twinkling  the  blade  was  back  in  its  sheath. 

" Mon  Dieu!"  I  gasped.  "That  is  swords 
manship  !" 

I  held  out  my  hand  to  him  impulsively.  He 
bowed  and  placed  the  sword  on  my  palm.  The 
splendid  fellow  did  not  know  the  meaning  of  a 
handshake.  Much  to  his  astonishment  I  caught 
his  hand  and  gave  it  a  cordial  grip.  I  addressed 
him  in  my  best  Dutch,  inverting  it  as  best  I  could 
to  resemble  his  own  dialect:  "My  dear  sir!  You 
wish  to  see  the  world?  You  shall  travel  as  my 
guest." 

He  caught  up  one  of  his  lacquer  cases  and  opened 
it  to  my  view.  Within  it  lay  a  few  dozen  oval 
gold  coins,  hardly  more  than  enough  to  have  paid 
his  passage  to  New  York.  There  could  be  no 
doubt  that  he  had  vastly  underestimated  the 
purchasing  value  of  his  coins  in  foreign  lands. 
He  explained  in  his  quaint  Dutch:  "The  punish 
ment  for  exchanging  money  with  foreigners  is 
death.  So  also  it  is  death  to  leave  Dai  Nippon. 
I  can  die  but  once." 

:'They  will  never  kill  a  cousin  of  their  Emperor! " 

He  smiled.  "Death  will  be  welcome  if  I  can 
first  bring  to  my  country  a  better  knowledge  of 
the  tojin  peoples  and  their  ways." 

Even  an  Adams  of  South  Carolina  might  well 
be  proud  to  act  as  cicerone  to  an  Oriental  prince. 

[27] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Yet  I  believe  I  was  actuated  more  by  the  subtle 
sympathy  and  instinctive  understanding  that  was 
already  drawing  me  to  him,  despite  the  barriers 
of  alien  blood  and  thought  and  language  which 
lay  between  us. 

"Put  up  your  gold,"  I  said.  :'You  will  have 
no  need  for  it.  I  am  wealthy  and  free  from  all 
ties.  You  shall  travel  with  me  and  see  the  world 
as  my  guest." 

He  caught  my  meaning  with  the  intuition  of 
a  thorough  gentleman,  and  his  black  eyes  flashed 
me  a  glance  of  perfect  comprehension.  He  laid 
down  the  box  of  coins  and  took  up  one  of  the  silken 
garments,  with  an  apologetic  gesture  at  the 
coarse  dress  he  was  wearing.  I  shook  my  head. 

"No,"  I  said.  ''There's  been  no  outcry  from 
the  guard-boats,  so  I  'm  sure  I  can  stow  you  away 
until  we  are  clear  of  your  country.  But  it  will 
be  best  to  disguise  you,  to  guard  against  any 
chance  glimpse.  What 's  more,  the  sooner  you 
don  Occidental  clothes  the  better,  if  you  wish 
to  avoid  annoyance  from  the  rudeness  of  our 
shipmates.  You  're  perhaps  an  inch  the  shorter; 
otherwise  we  are  about  of  a  build,  and  I  've  a  well- 
stocked  wardrobe." 

While  speaking  I  proceeded  to  haul  out  three 
or  four  suits  from  my  lockers,  and  signed  him  to 
take  his  pick.  The  gesture  was  more  intelligible 
to  him  than  my  words.  He  bowed,  smiled,  and 

[28] 


TWO    SWORDS 

chose  the  least  foppish  of  the  suits.  I  laid  out 
my  lightest  slippers,  a  tasselled  smoking-cap,  linen, 
et  cetera,  and  drew  his  attention  to  the  conven 
iences  of  a  well-furnished  washstand. 

He  took  up  and  smelled  the  small  cake  of  per 
fumed  soap  and  was  about  to  try  his  flashing  teeth 
upon  it,  when  I  showed  him  its  use  by  washing  my 
hands.  At  this  his  smile  brightened  into  delight, 
and,  casting  loose  his  girdle,  he  dropped  his  short 
robe  from  him  as  one  would  fling  off  a  cloak. 
The  leggings  and  sandals  followed  the  robe,  and 
he  stood  before  me  nude  yet  unabashed,  his  lithe 
figure  like  a  statue  of  gold  bronze. 

Fortunately  I  was  too  well  acquainted  with 
the  peculiar  variations  of  etiquette  and  manners 
exhibited  by  the  different  peoples  of  the  East  and 
West  to  betray  my  astonishment  at  this  exposure. 
I  poured  him  the  bath  for  which  he  seemed  so 
eager,  and  politely  excused  myself  with  the  explana 
tion  that  I  must  provide  him  with  refreshments. 

As  I  had  my  own  private  larder  in  the  second 
stateroom,  I  had  no  need  to  call  upon  the  steward 
for  a  luncheon,  having  on  hand  various  sweets, 
potted  meats,  English  biscuits,  and  Chinese  con 
serves,  in  addition  to  my  wines.  When  I  returned 
with  a  well-stocked  tray,  I  found  my  guest  strug 
gling  to  don  his  linen  over  his  coat.  His  relief 
was  unmistakable  when  I  signed  him  to  lay  aside 
everything  and  slip  on  a  loose  lounging-robe. 

[29] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Following  my  example,  he  seated  himself  at 
the  little  folding  table.  When  served,  he  waited, 
seemingly  reluctant  to  eat  alone.  Accordingly  I 
served  myself,  and  fell  to  without  delay.  At  my 
first  mouthful  he  also  caught  up  knife  and  fork 
and  began  to  eat  with  undisguised  heartiness  yet 
with  a  nicety  and  correctness  of  manners  that 
astonished  me.  When  I  expressed  my  surprise 
that  our  table  etiquette  should  be  so  similar,  he 
explained  with  charming  candor  that  he  was  but 
copying  my  actions. 

I  could  not  repress  my  admiration.  "Here's 
to  our  friendship!"  I  said,  raising  my  glass  to 
him.  "May  it  soon  ripen  to  the  mellowness  of 
this  wine." 

I  doubt  if  he  sensed  the  meaning  of  the  words, 
but  he  raised  his  glass,  and  his  face  glowed  with 
responsive  pleasure  as  together  we  drank  the 
toast.  The  act  of  good-fellowship  seemed  to  bring 

tim  still  nearer  to  me,  and  as  I  gazed  across  into 
is  glowing  face  I  could  almost  forget  our  differ 
ences  of  race.  In  my  robe  and  smoking-cap  his 
color  and  the  obliqueness  of  his  eyes  appeared 
less  pronounced,  and  I  realized  that  in  all  other 
respects  his  features  differed  little  from  my  own. 
True,  my  eyes  were  dark  blue  and  his  jet  black, 
and  though  my  nose  was  rather  low  between  the 
eyes,  his  was  still  flatter.  But  below  their  bridges 
our  noses  rose  in  the  same  softly  aristocratic 

[30] 


TWO    SWORDS 

curve.  The  outlines  of  our  faces  were  of  a  like 
oval  contour,  there  was  a  close  similarity  about 
our  mouths  and  chins,  and  even  our  eyebrows 
curved  with  an  identical  high  and  even  arch. 

"My  friend,"  I  said,  "do  not  answer  unless 
you  feel  free  to  explain,  —  but  I  wonder  that 
you,  a  relative  of  the  Emperor,  should  be  com 
pelled  to  start  your  travels  in  this  secret  manner." 

"Shogun,  not  Emperor,"  he  corrected.  "Law 
over  Shogun,  too.  I  travel  naibun  —  incognito. 
Shimadzu  Satsuma-no-kami  my  friend.  I  teach 
Raugaku  —  the  Dutch  learning,  —  war  ways, 
history,  engineering.  No  man  know  real  me  at 
Kagoshima.  Daimio  of  Satsuma  gone  Yedo.  I 
steal  aboard.  No  man  know.  Shogunate  no 
punish  daimio,  my  friend." 

:'They  would  punish  even  the  Prince  of  Satsuma 
if  they  found  you  had  escaped  from  his  province?" 

My  guest  nodded.     "Very  old  law." 

''Yet  you  would  leave  the  country  at  the  risk 
of  death?" 

His  smile  deepened  into  a  look  of  solemn  joy. 
I  give  his  broken  Dutch  a  fair  translation. 

"My  soul  is  in  the  eyes  of  Woroto  Sama.  There 
is  trust  between  us.  I  speak  without  concealment. 
The  tojin  peoples  of  the  west  have  dealt  harshly 
with  the  Chinese.  The  black  ships  have  destroyed 
many  forts  and  bombarded  great  cities.  I  fear 
the  black  ships  may  come  to  devastate  Dai  Nippon ; 

[311 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

yet  my  people  know  even  less  of  your  people 
than  did  the  Chinese.  The  Dutch  of  Deshima 
warn  us  to  heed  the  demands  of  the  tojin  to  open 
our  ports.  The  officials  in  control  of  the  Sho- 
gunate  shut  their  ears." 

My  lip  curled.  "The  English  are  a  nation 
of  shopkeepers,  and  our  Yankees  are  no  less  keen 
for  bargains.  They  will  never  rest  until  they 
have  found  a  market  for  their  wares  in  every 
country  on  earth.  If  they  cannot  get  into  your 
ports  peacefully,  sooner  or  later  they  will  break 
in  by  force." 

"Such,  then,  is  the  truth,"  he  murmured. 
"  Namu  Amida  Eutsu!  I  ask  only  that  I  may 
live  to  bring  back  to  Dai  Nippon  a  clear  report 
of  the  power  and  ways  of  the  tojin  peoples." 

"Nothing  could  please  them  more,"  I  replied. 
"Count  on  me  to  help  you  fulfil  your  noble 
mission!" 

He  thanked  me  with  almost  effusive  gratitude, 
yet  with  a  nobility  of  look  that  dignified  the 
Oriental  obsequiousness  of  his  words  and  manner. 
To  cut  short  his  thanks,  I  went  out  for  a  second 
bottle  of  wine.  He  had  drunk  his  share  of  the  first 
with  gusto.  Returning  briskly,  I  caught  sight 
of  my  guest's  face  for  the  first  time  without  its 
pleasant  smile.  It  was  drawn  and  haggard  with 
fatigue.  Putting  aside  the  wine,  I  asked  him  if 
he  did  not  wish  to  turn  in.  He  signed  that  he 

[32] 


TWO    SWORDS 

would  lie  down  upon  the  floor.  But  I  explained 
the  use  of  a  bed,  which  seemed  an  absolute  novelty 
to  him,  and  bundled  him  into  my  berth  before 
he  could  protest.  He  fell  asleep  almost  as  his 
head  sank  upon  the  pillow. 

I  stowed  his  dunnage  in  a  locker,  and  hastened 
to  extinguish  the  lamp  and  open  the  window, 
for  the  room  was  suffocatingly  hot.  As  I  leaned 
put  of  the  window  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  one  of 
the  guard-boats  sculling  leisurely  across  the  belt 
of  light  between  the  Sea  Flight  and  Kagoshima. 
Yoritomo's  boat  had  evidently  drifted  away 
through  their  cordon  undetected.  Five  minutes 
later  I  was  outstretched  on  a  locker,  as  fast  asleep 
as  my  guest. 

I  awoke  with  what  I  took  to  be  a  crash  of  thunder 
dinning  in  my  ears.  But  the  bright  glare  of  sun 
shine  that  poured  in  through  the  stern  windows 
told  of  a  clear  sky.  No  less  unmistakable  was  the 
loud  shouting  of  commands  on  the  deck  above 
me  and  the  sharp  heeling  of  the  ship  to  port. 
The  Sea  Flight  was  already  under  way  and  her 
crew  piling  on  more  sail  as  swiftly  as  Downing  and 
his  bucko  mates  could  drive  them  with  volleying 
oaths  and  orders. 

As  I  sprang  to  my  feet  the  explanation  of  the 
situation  quickly  came  in  the  barking  roar  of  an 
old-style  twelve-pounder  carronade.  This  was 
my  supposed  thunder.  During  the  night  the 

[33] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Satsuma  men  had  either  brought  up  a  gun -boat  or 
placed  a  battery  on  the  nearest  point  of  land, 
and  now  they  had  at  last  opened  fire  on  the  tojin 
ship  that  refused  to  leave  after  due  warning. 

I  stared  out  the  nearest  window,  and  sighted 
our  guard-boats  of  the  night,  sculling  along  in  our 
wake,  not  a  biscuit's  throw  distant.  Their  gunners 
stood  by  the  little  swivels,  slow-match  in  hand, 
and  the  soldiers  held  their  antique  muskets  trained 
upon  us.  But  the  firing  was  all  from  the  shore. 
A  puff  of  smoke  showed  me  where  the  carronade 
was  concealed  behind  a  long  stretch  of  canvas 
upon  a  point  near  the  lower  end  of  Kagoshima. 
The  ball  plunged  into  the  water  half  a  cable's 
length  short  of  us. 

Before  the  gunners  could  reload,  the  Sea 
Flight  drew  off  on  the  starboard  tack  with 
swiftly  gathering  headway,  and  drew  out  of 
range.  The  crews  of  the  guard-boats  were  for 
a  time  able  to  keep  their  swift  clipper-built  craft 
close  astern,  but  the  ship,  once  under  full  sail, 
soon  began  to  outdistance  her  pursuers. 

The  purpose  of  the  Japanese  became  clear 
to  me  when  I  saw  them  lay  down  their  arms 
without  giving  over  the  pursuit.  They  had  no 
desire  to  harm  us,  but  were  inflexibly  determined 
to  drive  us  out  of  their  port.  And  follow  us  they 
did,  though  long  before  we  had  tacked  down 
into  the  mouth  of  the  great  bay  they  were  visible 

[34,] 


TWO    SWORDS 

only  through  a  glass,  as  little  black  dots  bobbing 
among  the  whitecaps. 

Yoritomo  had  roused  from  his  profound  sleep 
as  we  came  about  for  the  first  time  to  tack  off 
the  Osumi  shore.  When  I  had  returned  his 
smiling  salute,  he  listened  to  my  account  of  our 
flight  with  quiet  satisfaction,  and  explained  that, 
since  we  had  not  left  peaceably,  the  Satsuma  men 
were  compelled  to  resort  to  these  forceful  measures. 
Otherwise  their  lord,  though  in  Yedo,  would  be 
punished  for  permitting  our  ship  to  remain  in 
his  harbor. 

While  my  guest  then  took  a  morning  bath,  I 
closed  the  door  between  my  staterooms,  and  ordered 
the  steward  to  serve  me  a  hearty  breakfast 
in  the  vacant  room.  When  he  had  gone,  I 
locked  the  door  and  called  in  Yoritomo,  whom 
I  had  assisted  to  dress  in  his  Occidental  garments. 
Thus  attired,  and  with  my  smoking-cap  over  his 
cue,  he  might  easily  have  passed  for  an  Italian 
or  Spanish  gentleman  had  it  not  been  for  the  slant 
of  his  eyes. 

After  we  had  breakfasted,  we  found  seats 
beside  one  of  the  sternports,  and  spent  the  morning 
viewing  the  receding  scenery  of  the  bay  and  con 
versing  in  our  inverted  Dutch.  Eager  as  I  was  to 
make  inquiries  about  my  friend  and  his  country, 
he  showed  still  greater  curiosity  regarding  myself 
and  the  wide  world  from  which  his  people  had 

[35] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

been  cut  off  for  so  long  a  period.  The  result 
was  that  by  midday  I  had  told  him  a  vast  deal, 
and  gathered  in  turn  a  mere  handful  of  vaguely 
stated  facts. 

Meantime  the  Sea  Flight,  having  tacked 
clear  of  the  mouth  of  the  bay,  raced  down  to  Cape 
Satanomi  with  the  full  sweep  of  the  monsoon 
abeam.  No  less  to  my  gratification  than  my 
surprise,  Yoritomo  proved  to  be  a  good  sailor,  and 
watched  our  swift  flight  along  the  coast  with 
wondering  delight.  The  heavy  rolling  of  the  ship 
in  the  trough  of  the  sea  affected  him  no  more 
than  myself. 

Before  long  we  cleared  the  out  jutting  point 
of  Cape  Satanomi  and,  veering  to  port  until  upon 
an  easy  bowline,  drove  due  east  into  the  vast 
expanse  of  the  Pacific.  I  pointed  to  the  craggy 
tip  of  the  cape  where  the  breakers  foamed  high 
on  the  dark  rocks,  and  rose,  with  a  wave  of  my 
hand.  "Farewell  to  Dai  Nippon!  Come - 
Downing  will  be  tumbling  below  for  dinner,  now 
that  we  are  clear  of  land  —  come  and  meet  the 
hairy  tojin." 

Yoritomo  bowed  and,  with  a  last  glance  at 
the  fast-receding  cape,  followed  me  out  into  the 
passage.  We  found  Downing  already  at  his  pork 
and  beans.  But  he  paused,  with  knife  in  air, 
to  stare  at  my  companion,  gaping  as  widely  as 
did  the  steward. 

[36] 


TWO    SWORDS 

"Good-day,  skipper,"  I  said.  "Allow  me  to  in 
troduce  to  you  my  Japanese  cousin  Lord  Yori- 
tomo  " 

"  Cousin  ?  —  lord  ?  "  he  spluttered.  "  Danged 
if  he  's  not  the  first  danged  stowaway  I  ever  - 

;'You  mistake,"  I  corrected,  "I  invited  the 
gentleman  aboard  as  my  guest  for  the  passage. 
He  will  share  my  staterooms,  and  you  are  to  look 
to  me  for  his  passage  money." 

"Well,  that's  a  different  matter,  Mr.  Adams," 
grunted  Downing.  "If  you  're  fool  enough  to  - 

"Mason,"  I  called  sharply  to  the  steward, 
"lay  a  plate  for  His  Lordship." 


[37] 


CHAPTER    IV-  -YORITOMO'S    BETROTHED 

AS  this  is  not  an  account  of  the  travels 
incognito  of  my   friend   Yoritomo,   I 
do  not  propose  to  give  even  a  resume 
of  our  trip  to  America  and  our  Euro 
pean   experiences.     Nor   shall   I   give 
the    particulars    of    the    family    dissension    that 
estranged  me  from  home  and,  to  a  degree,  from 
my  country. 

Enough  to  say  that,  despite  our  incongruous 
and  mutually  incomprehensible  mental  worlds, 
the  Autumn  of  1852  found  me  bound  to  my 
Japanese  protege  and  friend  by  indissoluble  ties 
of  sympathy  and  love.  Strange  and  inverted  as 
seemed  many  of  his  ideas  to  our  western  ways 
of  thinking,  he  had  proved  himself  worthy  of 
the  warmest  friendship  and  esteem. 

Considering  this,  together  with  my  longing  for 
adventure,  and  my  freedom  from  all  the  ties  of 
family,  acquaintance,  and  habit  that  bind  a  man 
to  his  country,  it  will  not  be  thought  extraor 
dinary  that  I  at  last  determined  to  accompany 
my  friend  on  his  return  to  Japan.  My  decision 
was  made  at  the  time  when  he  was  spurred  to 
redoubled  effort  in  his  studies  of  the  Occident  by 

[38] 


YORITOMO'S    BETROTHED 

the  news  that  the  proposed  American  expedition 
to  his  country  was  at  last  approaching  a  con 
summation  under  the  vigorous  superintendence 
of  Commodore  Perry. 

It  was  then  my  friend  told  me,  with  his  ever- 
ready  smile,  that,  should  the  law  be  rigidly 
enforced  against  him  upon  his  return,  he  would  be 
bound  to  a  cross  and  transfixed  with  spears.  Yet 
under  the  menace  of  so  atrocious  a  martyrdom, 
he  labored  night  and  day  to  complete  his  studies, 
that  he  might  return  to  his  people  and  guide 
them  from  disaster  upon  the  coming  of  the  hairy 
tojin  —  the  Western  barbarians. 

Few  could  have  resisted  the  inspiration  of  so 
lofty  a  spirit,  the  contagion  of  such  utter  devotion 
and  self-sacrifice.  When  my  friend  was  willing  to 
give  all  for  his  country,  should  not  I  be  willing  to 
do  a  little  for  the  constellation  whose  brightest 
star  was  my  own  sovereign  State,  the  great  Com 
monwealth  of  South  Carolina? 

After  all,  though  President  Fillmore  and  Com 
modore  Perry  were  Yankees,  the  flag  was  the  flag  of 
the  South  no  less  than  of  the  North,  and  I  had 
served  under  it.  The  purpose  of  the  expedition 
was  peaceful.  There  flashed  upon  me  a  plan  by 
which  I  might  further  the  success  of  the  expedition 
and  at  the  same  time  aid  my  friend  in  his  purpose. 

"Tomo!"  I  cried,  "y°u  insist  that  you  must 
sail  before  the  American  expedition,  —  that  you 

[39] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

must  risk  all  to  reach  Yedo  and  advise  your 
government  to  welcome  the  fleet  of  my  country 
men.  Very  well!  I  will  no  longer  seek  to  dis 
suade  you.  I  will  go  with  you  and  help  you 
persuade  Dai  Nippon  to  enter  into  friendly 
relations  with  America." 

He  stared  at  me,  startled  and  distressed.  "Im 
possible,  Worth!  They  might  regard  you  as  a 
spy.  You  would  be  risking  death!" 

"In  all  the  world  I  have  one  friend,  and  only 
one,"  I  rejoined.  "The  thought  of  parting  from 
him  has  been  for  months  a  constant  source  of 
anxiety  and  pain.  It  is  pleasant  to  be  rid  of  such 
distress.  I  am  going  with  you  to  Yedo." 

His  eyes  widened  almost  to  Occidental  round 
ness,  the  pupils  purpling  with  the  intensity  of 
his  emotion.  "My  thanks,  brother!  But  it  is 
impossible  —  impossible!" 

"At  the  worst  they  can  only  send  me  packing 
in  a  bamboo  cage,  to  be  shipped  out  of  Nagasaki 
by  the  Dutch." 

"That  is  the  usual  course  with  wrecked  sailors, 
but  should  you  go  with  me,  they  might  torture 
and  execute  you  as  a  spy." 

"Not  with  Perry's  fleet  in  Eastern  waters," 
I  replied.  "I  give  your  government  credit  for 
at  least  a  modicum  of  statesmanship.  Yet  even 
supposing  they  lack  all  wisdom,  I  choose  to  take 
the  risk.  There  is  no  room  for  argument.  You 

[40] 


YORITOMO'S    BETROTHED 

are  going,  so  am  I.  Why,  sir,  it  's  an  adventure 
such  as  I  have  been  longing  for  all  my  life!  You 
cannot  turn  me  from  it." 

"If  not  I,  others  can  and  will.  The  ometsukes 
are  everywhere.  You  could  not  so  much  as 
effect  a  landing." 

"And  you?"  I  demanded. 

"I  am  Japanese.  There  is  a  chance  for  me 
to  slip  through.  But  you  - 

"Disguised  in  Japanese  dress!  Can  I  not 
talk  good  Japanese?  Have  I  not  accustomed 
myself  to  your  costume?  A  little  more  practice 
with  the  chopsticks  and  clogs  - 

;'Your  eyes!  In  all  Japan  there  is  to  be  found 
no  one  with  round  eyes  of  violet  blue." 

"I  can  learn  to  squint;  and  have  you  not  told 
me  of  the  deep-brimmed  hats  worn  by  your  free 
lances,  the  ronins?  You  have  said  that  many 
high-born  Japanese  have  faces  no  darker  than  my 
own,  and  that  brown  hair  is  not  unknown." 

''You  will  risk  your  life  to  come  with  me!"  he 
protested. 

I  laughed  lightly.  "You  have  so  little  to 
say  of  your  Japanese  ladies,  Tomo.  Perhaps 
I  wish  to  see  what  they  are  like." 

'That  is  a  jest.  I  have  told  you  that  our  women 
of  noble  families  are  seldom  to  be  seen  by 
strangers." 

"There  are  those  others,"  I  suggested. 

[41] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

He  gazed  at  me  in  mild  reproach.  "Do  not 
jest,  Woroto.  I  have  seen  that  you  have  nothing 
to  do  with  the  joro  of  the  Occident.  You  are  not 
one  to  dally  with  those  of  the  Orient." 

"But  the  geishas  —  the  artists  —  they  must 
be  charming." 

"It  is  their  art  to  charm." 

;'Tomo,"  I  said,  sobering  myself,  "I  know  it 
is  a  rudeness  to  ask,  but,  pardon  me,  are  you 
married  ?  " 

"No." 

"Is  there  no  maiden  of  noble  family  — ?" 

"None,"  he  answered.  "There  was  once  a 
geisha—  But  we  men  of  samurai  blood  are  supposed 
to  despise  such  weakness.  Since  then  I  have 
devoted  my  life  to  that  which  you  so  generously 
have  helped  me  to  attain." 

;'You  have  no  desire  ever  to  marry?"  I  per 
sisted. 

"We  hold  it  a  duty  to  ancestors  and  families 
for  every  young  man  and  maiden  to  marry," 
he  replied.  "It  is  not  as  we  wish,  but  as  our 
parents  choose.  More  than  ten  years  ago 
His  Highness  the  Shogun  arranged  with  my 
father  that  I  should  marry  his  daughter  Azai." 

"  You  refused !  But  of  course  you  were  still  a  boy." 

"You  mistake.  The  arrangement  was  for  the 
future.  The  maiden  was  then  only  six  years 
of  age." 

[42] 


YORITOMO'S    BETROTHED 

"Six?  and  ten  years  ago?  Then  she  is  now 
sixteen,  —  a  princess  of  sixteen !  Tomo,  you  're 
as  cold-blooded  as  a  fish!  A  princess  of  sixteen, 
and  you  never  before  so  much  as  hinted  at  your 
good  fortune!  Of  course  she  is  beautiful?'* 

He  gazed  at  me  in  patient  bewilderment  over 
the  inexplicable  romantic  emotionalism  of  the 
tqjin. 

"She  is  said  to  be  beautiful,"  he  replied,  calmly 
indifferent.  "I  cannot  say.  I  have  never  seen 
her.  You  know  that  Japanese  ladies  do  not 
mingle  with  men  in  your  shocking  tojin  fashion." 


[43 


CHAPTER    V  -  -  THE  COASTS  OF  NIPPON 

AT   once  I   set   about  perfecting  myself 
in  certain  practices  which  so  far  had 
afforded    me    little    more    than    idle 
amusement.     The    knack    of    holding 
on    a    Japanese    clog    or    the    lighter 
sandal  by  gripping  the  thong  that  passes  between 
the  great  toe  and  its  mate  is  not  acquired  at  the 
first  trial  or  at  many  to  follow.     Still  more  diffi 
cult  is  the  ability  to  sit  for  hours,  crouched  on 
knees    and    heels,    in    the    Japanese    fashion.     I 
practised   both   feats   with    a   patient   endurance 
born   of   intense   desire.     Yoritomo   had    suffered 
as   great   inconvenience    while    learning   to   wear 
Occidental  dress  and  to  sit  on  chairs. 

There  were  many  other  accomplishments, 
hardly  less  irksome,  in  which  I  had  to  drill  myself, 
that  I  might  be  prepared  to  play  the  role  of  a 
Japanese  gentleman.  For  recreation  between 
times,  I  devoted  my  odd  hours  to  cutlass  fencing 
with  an  expert  maitre  d'armes  and  to  pistol 
practice.  For  this  last  I  purchased  a  brace  of 
Lefaucheux  revolvers,  which,  though  a  trifle  in 
ferior  to  the  Colt  in  accuracy,  possessed  the 

[44] 


THE    COASTS    OF    NIPPON 

advantage  of  the  inventor's  water-proof  metallic 
cartridges.  The  convenience  and  superiority  of 
this  cartridge  over  the  old  style  of  loading  with 
loose  charges  of  powder  and  ball  only  need  be 
mentioned  to  be  realized. 

Yoritomo  was  so  desirous  of  witnessing  the 
outcome  of  President  Bonaparte's  manipulation 
of  politics  that  we  lingered  in  Paris  until  the  coup 
d'etat  which  marked  the  fall  of  the  French  Republic 
and  the  ascension  of  Bonaparte  to  the  imperial 
throne  as  Napoleon  III.  Confirmed  by  this 
event  in  his  opinion  of  the  instability,  violence, 
and  chicanery  of  Occidental  statesmanship,  my 
friend  announced  his  readiness  to  leave  Europe. 

The  American  packets  had  already  brought 
word  of  the  sailing  of  Commodore  Perry  from 
Newrport  News  on  November  the  twenty-fourth. 
As  his  route  to  China  lay  around  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  there  had  been  no  need  to  hurry 
away  on  our  shorter  passage  by  the  Peninsular 
and  Oriental  route  across  the  Isthmus  of  Suez 
and  down  the  Red  Sea. 

We  sailed  on  January  the  third,  1853,  and,  con 
fident  of  our  advantage  of  route,  stopped  twice 
on  our  way,  that  Yoritomo  might  study  the  admin 
istration  of  the  British  East  India  Company 
in  Ceylon  and  India  and  the  Dutch  rule  in  Java. 
As  a  result,  we  did  not  reach  Shanghai  until 
the  end  of  April. 

[45] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

It  is  in  point  to  mention  that  during  the  voyage 
I  gave  my  friend  frequent  lessons  in  Western 
swordsmanship  and  in  turn  received  as  many 
from  him  in  Japanese  fence,  using  heavy,  two- 
handed  foils  of  bamboo.'  Though  the  Japanese 
art  is  without  thrusts,  I  was  taught  by  many  a 
bruise  that  it  possesses  clever  and  powerful  cuts. 

At  Shanghai,  we  found  already  assembled  three 
ships  of  the  American  squadron,  including  the 
huge  steam  frigate  Susquehanna.  The  Com 
modore  was  expected  to  arrive  soon  from  Hong 
kong  in  the  Mississippi. 

My  plan  had  been  to  charter  a  small  vessel, 
and  run  across  to  the  Japanese  coast,  where  we 
hoped  to  be  able  to  smuggle  ourselves  ashore, 
and  make  our  way  to  Yedo  in  the  disguise  of 
priests.  Owing,  however,  to  the  alarm  of  the 
foreign  settlement  over  the  victories  of  the  Taiping 
rebels  in  the  vicinity  of  Shanghai,  there  were  few 
vessels  in  port  and  none  open  to  charter. 

We  were  already  aware  that,  under  the  strict 
orders  of  the  Navy  Department,  we  could  not 
join  the  American  expedition  without  subjecting 
ourselves  to  the  fetters  of  naval  discipline.  As  a 
last  resort  and  in  the  hope  of  gaining  the  assent 
of  the  Commodore  to  land  us  in  disguise,  we  might 
have  considered  even  this  humiliating  course. 
But  the  very  object  of  Yoritomo's  return  to  his 
native  shores  was  to  reach  Yedo  and  present  his 

[46] 


THE    COASTS    OF    NIPPON 

case  to  the  Shogun's  government  before  the  arrival 
of  the  foreigners. 

Fearful  of  delay,  we  hired  a  Chinese  escort 
and  rode  south  across  country  to  Cha-pu,  on  the 
Bay  of  Hang-Chow,  the  port  from  which  the  ten 
annual  Chinese  junks  sail  to  Nagasaki.  Though 
our  escort  did  not  always  manage  to  prevent 
their  bigoted  countrymen  from  making  the  journey 
disagreeable  for  the  "foreign  devils,"  we  reached 
our  destination  without  loss  of  life  or  limb. 

The  vile  treatment  of  the  Celestials  was  quickly 
forgotten  in  the  graciousness  of  our  welcome  by 
the  little  colony  of  Japanese  exiles  whom  we  found 
located  at  Cha-pu.  Careful  as  was  Yoritomo  to 
conceal  his  identity  from  his  countrymen,  they  at 
once  divined  that  he  was  a  man  of  noble  rank, 
and  invariably  knelt  and  bowed  their  foreheads 
to  the  dust  whenever  they  came  into  his  pres 
ence. 

•^« 

The  Cha-pu  merchants  were  greatly  impressed 
by  such  deference  on  the  part  of  the  proud  little 
men  of  Nippon,  yet  neither  this  nor  my  gold 
enabled  us  to  obtain  passage  on  one  of  their 
clumsy  junks.  The  five  vessels  of  the  summer 
shipment  to  Nagasaki  were  not  due  to  sail  before 
August,  and  the  jabbering  heathen  refused  point- 
blank  to  risk  the  extinction  of  their  Japanese 
trade  either  by  advancing  the  date  of  sailing 
or  by  chartering  a  separate  junk.  Their  unvary- 

[47] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

ing  reply  was  that  no  one  could  land  any 
where  in  Japan  without  being  detected  by  the 
spies. 

One  merchant  alone  betrayed  a  slight  hesitancy 
over  refusing  us  outright,  and  he,  after  dallying 
with  my  ultimate  offer  for  a  fortnight,  at  last 
positively  declined  the  risk.  I  next  proposed 
to  buy  a  junk  and  man  it  with  fishermen  from 
the  Japanese  colony.  But  Yoritomo  soon  found 
that  not  one  of  the  exiles  dared  return  to  Dai 
Nippon,  great  as  was  their  longing. 

Mid-May  had  now  come  and  gone.  Hopeless 
of  obtaining  aid  from  the  Chinese,  we  rode  back 
overland  to  Shanghai,  agreed  that  it  would  be 
better  to  sail  with  Perry  than  after  him.  To  our 
dismay,  we  discovered  that  the  American  squadron 
had  sailed  for  the  Loo  Choo  Islands  two  days 
before  our  arrival. 

In  this  darkest  hour  of  our  enterprise  we  chanced 
upon  our  golden  opportunity.  Shortly  after  our 
departure  for  Cha-pu  a  New  Bedford  whaler, 
the  Nancy  Briggs,  had  put  into  Shanghai  to 
replace  a  sprung  foremast.  She  was  now  about 
to  sail  for  the  Straits  of  Sangar,  bound  for  the 
whaling  grounds  east  of  the  Kurile  Islands.  I 
met  her  skipper  upon  the  bund,  and  within  the 
hour  had  closed  a  bargain  with  him  to  land  us 
on  the  Japanese  coast  within  twenty  miles  of 
the  Bay  of  Yedo.  For  this  I  was  to  pay  him  a 

[48] 


THE    COASTS    OF    NIPPON 

thousand  dollars  in  gold,  and  pilot  his  ship  through 
Van  Diemen  Strait. 

By  nightfall  Yoritomo  and  I  were  aboard  the 
Nancy  Briggs  with  our  dunnage  and  had 
settled  ourselves  in  the  little  stateroom  vacated 
by  the  first  mate.  We  awoke  at  sunrise  to  find 
the  ship  under  way  down  the  Whang-po  to  the 
Yang-tse-Kiang.  Another  sunrise  found  the 
whaler  in  blue  water,  running  before  the  monsoon 
out  across  the  Eastern  Sea. 

Though  far  from  a  clipper,  the  Nancy  Briggs 
was  no  tub.  We  sighted  Kuro,  the  westernmost 
island  of  Van  Diemen  Strait,  and  its  blazing 
volcanic  neighbor  Iwogoshima,  on  June  the  second, 
eight  days  over  a  year  and  nine  months  since 
the  Sea  Flight  bore  me  up  the  superb  Bay  of 
Kagoshima.  The  interval  had  been  crowded  with 
events  in  our  physical  and  mental  worlds  scarcely 
less  momentous  to  myself  than  to  my  friend. 

But  it  was  no  time  for  me  to  indulge  in  retro 
spection.  I  had  engaged  to  navigate  the  Nancy 
Briggs  through  the  narrow  waters  of  an  uncharted 
strait.  The  rainy  season  was  well  under  way,  with 
all  the  concomitants  of  heavy  squalls  and  dense 
fogs.  As  already  mentioned,  a  lucky  glimpse  of 
Kuro,  soon  confirmed  as  a  landfall  by  the  red 
glare  of  Iwogoshima,  enabled  me  to  set  our  course 
to  pass  through  the  strait. 

We  ran  in  under  reefed  topsails,  feeling  our 

[49] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

way  blindly  by  compass  and  log  in  true  whaler 
fashion.  The  Yankees  took  the  risk  as  a  matter 
of  course,  but  I,  between  the  difficulty  of  calcula 
ting  the  effects  of  the  capricious  squalls  on  our 
headway  and  my  ignorance  of  the  set  of  the 
powerful  currents  around  this  southern  extremity 
of  Japan,  found  my  responsibilities  as  pilot  no 
light  burden.  I  was  correspondingly  relieved 
when  a  rift  opened  in  the  smothering  masses 
of  vapor  which  shrouded  all  view  of  sea  and  land, 
and  I  saw  looming  up  abeam  the  well-remembered 
point  of  bold  Cape  Satanomi. 

Once  clear  of  the  strait,  out  in  the  open  waters 
of  the  Pacific,  we  packed  on  all  sail  to  outdrive 
the  heavy  following  sea,  and  entered  upon  the 
run  of  over  five  hundred  miles  along  the  southeast 
coasts  of  Kiushiu,  Shikoku,  and  Hondo,  the 
main  island.  Though  the  weather  continued  wet 
and  foggy,  we  were  favored  by  a  half  gale  from 
the  south  and  by  the  drift  of  the  Japan  Current, 
which  here  flows  little  less  swiftly  than  does  our 
Gulf  Stream  off  Hatteras. 

Regardless  of  the  whales  which  we  frequently 
sighted,  our  skipper,  true  to  his  agreement,  held 
on  under  full  sail,  night  and  day,  until  we  made 
a  landfall  of  Cape  Idzu,  the  southernmost  point 
of  the  great  promontory  which  lies  southwest  of 
Yedo  Bay.  We  could  not  have  desired  conditions 
more  favorable  to  enable  us  to  approach  the  coast 

[50] 


THE    COASTS    OF    NIPPON 

unobserved.  Night  was  coming  on  and  the  gale 
freshening,  but  there  was  no  fog.  Our  skipper 
shortened  sail,  and  stood  boldly  in  between  the 
east  coast  of  Idzu  and  the  chain  of  islands  trending 
southward  from  the  mouth  of  the  outer  Bay  of 
Yedo. 

Had  the  gale  fallen  at  sundown,  I  might  have 
persuaded  the  skipper  to  hold  on  across  and  land 
us  on  the  west  coast  of  Awa,  off  the  mouth  of  the 
inner  bay.  Unfortunately  the  wind  moderated 
so  little  and  the  sky  became  so  overcast  that  he 
ran  in  under  the  lee  of  the  great  hulking  volcano 
laid  down  on  the  charts  as  Vries  Island,  but  by 
Yoritomo  called  Oshima. 

We  were  here  in  the  mouth  of  the  outer  bay, 
and  the  skipper  stated  that  he  was  prepared  to 
fulfil  his  contract  by  landing  us  on  the  island. 
When  I  protested  against  being  thus  marooned, 
he  declared  that  he  would  put  us  ashore  on  Vries 
Island  or  nowhere.  At  this  I  demanded  that 
he  run  up  the  outer  bay  and  set  us  adrift  in  his 
gig.  He  declared  that  to  do  so  would  be  sheer 
murder,  since  no  boat  could  outride  the  billows 
in  the  open  bay.  However,  an  offer  of  half  of 
Yoritomo's  Japanese  gold  coins  altered  his  opinion, 
and  the  appearance  of  the  rising  moon,  which 
began  to  glimmer  at  intervals  through  the  scurry 
ing  clouds,  enabled  us  to  persuade  him  that 
he  could  run  up  to  within  the  southern  point  of 

[51] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Awa  and  beat  out  again  without  endangering  his 
ship. 

The  moment  he  ordered  the  ship  brought 
about,  Yoritomo  and  I  hastened  to  prepare 
ourselves  for  the  landing  by  shifting  into  our 
Yamabushi,  or  mountain-priest  robes,  which  with 
other  articles  of  costume  we  had  obtained  from  the 
Japanese  at  Cha-pu.  We  had  been  dressing  each 
other's  hair  in  the  Japanese  fashion  and  shaving 
clean  ever  since  the  passage  of  Van  Diemen  Strait. 
Our  dunnage  was  already  lashed  together  in  two 
compact  bundles,  wrapped  about  with  many 
thicknesses  of  waterproof  oiled  paper. 

To  the  outside  of  the  bundles,  I  now  tied  my 
revolvers  and  Yoritomo  his  sword  and  dirk,  all 
alike  wrapped  in  oil  paper,  together  with  two 
pairs  of  straw  sandals  and  black  leggings  and  our 
deep-brimmed  basket  hats  of  coarse-wove  rattan. 
The  night  was  far  too  wild  for  us  to  risk  being 
flung  into  the  breakers  with  any  unnecessary 
weight  about  us.  That  we  might  not  be  hampered 
by  our  loose  dress,  we  bound  up  our  long  sleeves 
to  our  shoulders  and  tucked  the  skirts  of  the  robes 
through  the  back  of  our  girdles. 

When  we  went  up  on  the  deck  with  our  dunnage, 
a  gleam  of  moonlight  showed  us  the  dim,  smoking 
mass  of  Vries  Island  already  a  full  two  leagues 
astern,  while  ahead,  across  eighteen  miles  or  more 
of  racing  foam-crested  billows,  loomed  the  moun- 

[52] 


THE    COASTS    OF    NIPPON 

tainous  coast  of  Awa.  We  made  our  way  along 
the  pitching  deck  to  where  the  skipper  stood 
with  a  group  of  sailors  beside  the  gig.  They 
were  lashing  down  a  number  of  empty  water 
breakers  in  the  bow  and  stern  and  under  the 
thwarts,  and  there  was  an  oil  cask  made  fast  to 
the  bow  with  a  five-fathom  line. 

"Ready,   hey?"   shouted   the   skipper,   when   I 

made  our  presence  known  by   touching  his   arm. 

"Well,  it's  on   your  own   head,   sir.     I'm  doing 

my  best  for  you,  as  I  'm  a  God-fearing  Christian. 

But  it  '11  take  a  sight  of  special  providence  to  bear 

you  safe  into  haven  once  you  cut  adrift." 

I  pointed  to  the  oil  cask.     "A  drag?" 

"Aye.     Keep  you  from  broaching.     Best  kind 

of  drag.     She  's  three-quarters  full  of  oil,  and  the 

head    riddled    with    gimlet    holes.     The    oil    will 

spread  and  keep  the  waves  from  breaking  over 

»» 
you. 

"I've  heard  of  that  whaler's  trick,"  I  replied, 
gripping  his  broad  hand.  "And  the  gig  is  un- 
sinkable  with  those  breakers  aboard.  We're 
bound  to  win  through.  I'll  lash  our  dunnage 
in  the  sternsheets  myself." 

The  moon  went  behind  a  cloud,  but  one  of  the 
sailors  raised  the  lantern  that  he  was  holding 
beneath  the  bulwark  and  set  it  within  the  gig. 
Our  bundles  were  soon  secured,  and  we  had  only 
to  lean  upon  the  bulwark  and  gaze  over  the  star- 

[53] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

board  bow  towards  the  dim  coast  of  Awa.  Though 
under  shortened  sail,  the  old  Nancy  ran  before 
the  gale  at  so  famous  a  rate  that  within  two  hours 
the  outpeeping  moon  showed  us  the  furious 
surf  along  the  rocky  coast,  two  miles  on  our 
starboard  beam. 

As  agreed,  the  skipper  now  put  the  ship's 
head  to  the  northwest  and  stood  on  across  the 
mouth  of  the  inner  bay  until  we  sighted  the  surf 
on  the  western  coast.  Our  time  had  come. 


[54] 


CHAPTER   VI--  A   WILD   NIGHT 


T 


^HE  gig  already  hung  outboard.  At 
the  word  from  the  skipper,  Yoritomo 
sprang  into  the  sternsheets  and  I  into 
the  bow,  ready  to  cast  off.  Six  men 
stood  by  to  lower  away  and  one  to  cut 
loose  our  cask  drag,  which  had  been  swung  out 
board  in  a  handy  sling. 

'  Ready,  skipper!  "  I  called. 
"Aye,  aye  —  Good  luck  to  you,  sir!"  he  cried, 
and  wheeling  about,  he  began  bawling  his  orders 
to  bring  the  ship  about  on  the  port  tack. 

I  had  chosen  a  moment  when  the  moon  was 
edging  out  through  a  cloud  rift,  so  that  the  deft- 
handed  Yankees  had  ample  light  for  their  work. 
Within  half  a  minute  the  ship,  already  running 
close  aslant  the  waves,  came  around  into  the 
trough  of  the  sea.  Over  she  heeled,  until  she 
was  all  but  lying  on  her  beam  ends.  A  little  more 
and  she  must  have  turned  turtle.  The  sea  boiled 
up  alongside  until  the  water  poured  over  the  bul 
wark.  Yet  our  men  stood  coolly  to  their  posts. 

"Let  go  the  falls!"  I  shouted,  above  the  howl 
of  the  gale. 

The  gig  splashed  into  the  seething  water.  In 
an  instant  I  had  cast  loose  the  bow  block. 

[56] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Clear!"  cried  Yoritomo  from  the  stern. 

"Cut!  "I  yelled. 

The  oil  cask  plunged  from  its  severed  sling 
as  the  gig  swung  swiftly  down  the  receding  wave 
to  the  leeward  of  the  Nancy.  I  caught  one  glimpse 
of  the  gallant  old  whaler  staggering  up  and  swing 
ing  her  stem  around  into  the  gale.  A  faint  cheer 
came  ringing  down  the  wind.  Then  we  were 
out  from  under  her  lee,  in  the  full  sweep  of  the 
gale. 

Though  I  had  always  prided  myself  upon  my 
skill  in  handling  small  craft,  I  must  confess  that 
the  narrow  gig  would  have  swamped  or  turned 
turtle  within  the  first  minute  had  it  not  been  for 
our  drag  and  the  breaker  floats.  Before  we  had 
swung  around  to  the  drag,  a  comber  broke  over 
us  and  filled  our  little  cockleshell  to  the  gunwales. 
As  she  came  out  of  the  smother,  still  afloat  but 
heavy  as  a  log,  we  fell  to  with  our  bailers  like 
madmen.  We  now  knew  she  could  not  sink,  but 
without  freeboard  she  would  not  ride  head  on 
to  the  cask,  and  the  first  wave  that  caught  us 
broadside  might  roll  us  over. 

Fortunately  the  oil  oozing  from  the  cask  was 
already  filming  over  the  surface  around  us,  so 
that  high  as  we  were  flung  up  by  the  racing  billows 
and  low  as  we  sagged  into  their  troughs,  no  more 
crests  broke  upon  us.  The  moment  the  boat 
rode  easier,  I  sprang  upon  a  thwart  and  gazed 

[56] 


A    WILD    NIGHT 

about  for  a  parting  glance  of  the  Nancy  Briggs. 
But  the  moon  was  already  covered  by  a  wisp 
of  the  scurrying  stormrack.  When  its  silvery 
rays  again  shone  upon  the  wild  sea,  I  fancied 
that  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  whaler  standing 
out  towards  the  open  ocean  on  the  starboard  tack. 

The  deep  booming  of  surf  on  a  rocky  shore 
brought  my  gaze  about,  and  as  we  topped  the 
next  wave  I  saw  that  we  were  abeam  the  high 
cliffs  of  Cape  Sagami,  at  the  western  point  of 
the  entrance  to  the  inner  bay.  I  swung  aft  into 
the  sternsheets,  where  Yoritomo  crouched  ankle- 
deep  in  the  wash,  still  frantically  bailing. 

"Belay!"  I  shouted. 

He  dropped  his  bailer,  and  looked  over  the  side 
at  the  surf-whitened  shore  in  blank  astonisJinient. 

"So  swift!"  he  cried,  "so  swift!" 

"Wind,  wave,  and  tide,"  I  rejoined.  "I  've 
known  a  boat  to  make  less  speed  under  sail. 
Only  trouble,  with  our  present  bearings,  we  '11 
pile  up  on  that  outjutting  point  of  the  east  coast." 

"Before  that,  Uraga,"  he  replied. 

"According  to  chart,  we  '11  drift  clear  of  the 
west  coast,  and  there  '11  be  no  guard-boats  out  of 
harbor  to-night." 

"But  the  moonlight;  they  may  sight  us,"  he 
insisted. 

"A  mile  offshore,  among  these  waves!  Even 
if  they  had  night-glasses,  they  could  not  tell  the 

[571 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

gig  from  a  sampan,  nor  ourselves  from  storm- 
driven  fishermen.  You  say  the  bay  swarms  with 
fishers." 

"Then  there  is  now  only  the  danger  of  delay 
from  being  cast  up  on  the  east  shore." 

"A  delay  apt  to  prove  permanent  if  we  drift 
upon  a  lee  shore  in  the  surf  that's  running  to-night," 
I  added. 

"I  know  you  fear  death  as  little  as  I  do,"  he 
said.  "We  are  brothers  in  spirit.  But  that  my 
message  should  be  delayed  or  lost  —  the  gods 
forbid!" 

"We're  not  yet  on  the  rocks,  Tomo.  We've 
deep  water  and  to  spare  for  a  while,"  I  cried, 
springing  up  to  take  our  bearings  as  the  moon 
was  again  gliding  behind  the  clouds. 

We  were  now  well  past  Cape  Sagami  and  oppo 
site  a  bight  whose  southern  shore,  lying  under 
the  lee  of  its  hill-crowned  cliffs,  was  free  of  all 
surf.  Leading  down  through  the  face  of  the  cliffs 
from  the  terraced  hillsides  above  were  many 
wooded  ravines,  at  the  foot  of  which  villages 
nestled  upon  bits  of  level  ground  near  the  water's 
edge.  Here  was  a  haven  that  might  possibly 
be  gained  by  casting  the  drag  adrift  and  rowing 
in  aslant  the  wind.  But  it  was  below  Uraga, 
Yedo's  port  of  entry  for  the  native  craft,  and 
Yoritomo  had  impressed  upon  me  the  great  need 
to  win  our  way  past  that  nest  of  government 

[58] 


A    WILD    NIGHT 

inspectors  and  spies.  The  attempt  to  run  under 
a  lee  would  be  no  more  desperate  an  undertaking 
beyond  Uraga  than  here. 

I  crouched  down  again  beside  my  friend,  and 
waited  anxiously  for  the  next  glimpse  of  the  moon. 
But  the  weather  had  suddenly  thickened.  Gusts 
of  rain  began  to  dash  upon  us  out  of  the  black 
ening  sky.  The  rifts  closed  up  until  there  was 
not  even  a  star  visible,  and  the  rain  increased 
until  it  poured  down  aslant  the  gale  in  torrents. 
The  roar  of  the  pelting  deluge  drowned  the  boom 
of  the  surf  and  beat  down  the  wave  crests.  We 
had  not  even  the  phosphorescent  foam  of  the 
combers  to  break  the  inky  darkness  about  us. 

The  rain  was  too  warm  to  chill  us,  but  the  down- 
whirling  drops  struck  upon  our  bare  limbs  with 
the  sting  of  sleet.  We  crouched  together  in  the 
sternsheets,  peering  westward  into  the  thick  of 
the  aqueous  murk  in  search  for  the  lights  of  Uraga. 
One  glimpse  would  have  given  us  fair  warning  to 
prepare  for  my  desperate  scheme  to  work  under 
the  lee  of  the  point  some  two  miles  beyond. 

Death  was  inevitable  should  we  drive  past 
that  point,  across  the  bend  of  the  bay,  to  the  out- 
jutting  cape  on  the  east  shore.  Nor  was  it  enough 
for  us  to  clear  the  cape.  Even  should  we  escape 
destruction  there,  and  even  should  we  drift  on 
up  into  the  northeast  corner  of  the  bay,  across 
from  Yedo,  we  would  no  less  certainly  perish 

[59] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

in  the  surf.  On  the  other  hand,  could  I  but  win 
the  shelter  of  the  point  above  Uraga,  out  of  the 
full  sweep  of  the  in-rolling  seas,  I  might  be  able 
to  sheer  over  to  the  west  shore  and  gain  the  shelter 
of  one  of  the  capes  shown  on  the  chart  drawn  for 
me  by  Yoritomo. 

Failing  to  sight  the  lights  of  Uraga,  I  was  in  a 
pretty  pickle.  To  cut  adrift  from  our  drag  was 
quite  sufficiently  hazardous  without  the  certainty 
that  if  we  put  in  too  soon  we  should  go  to  wreck 
on  the  Uraga  cape,  and  if  we  held  on  too  late, 
be  cast  up  on  the  out  jutting  point  of  the  east 
coast.  We  were  utterly  lost  in  the  dense  night 
of  whirling  wind  and  rain  and  swift-heaving 
waves.  Without  means  to  measure  the  passage 
of  time,  I  could  not  even  reckon  our  position  by 
estimating  our  rate  of  drift. 

"No  use  watching,  Tomo,"  I  at  last  shouted. 
"We  could  not  see  even  a  lighthouse  so  thick 
a  night,  and  we  've  drifted  past  by  now.  Hand 
me  your  dirk." 

"Aye,"  he  replied,  and  I  felt  him  turn  about 
to  where  his  dunnage  was  lashed  down.  In  a 
few  minutes  he  turned  back  and  thrust  the  hilt 
of  his  short  sword  into  my  hand.  He  asked  no 
questions,  but  waited  calmly  for  me  to  direct 
him. 

With  a  few  touches  of  the  razor-edged  blade  I 
cut  loose  the  oars,  which  had  been  lashed  under 

[60] 


A    WILD    NIGHT 

the  gunwales.  As  I  pressed  the  dirk  hilt  back 
into  his  hand,  I  gave  him  his  orders:  "Go  forward 
and  cut  the  line  when  I  say;  then  aft,  and  stand 
by  to  bail." 

Without  a  word  he  crept  away  towards  the  bows 
through  the  down-whirling  deluge  and  blackness. 
I  followed  to  a  seat  on  the  forward  thwrart,  and 
waited  while  three  of  the  great  billows  flung  us 
high  and  dropped  us  into  the  trough  behind  them. 
As  we  sagged  down  the  slope  of  the  third,  I  dipped 
my  oar-blades  and  shouted,  "Cut!" 

The  fourth  \vave  shouldered  us  skyward.  As 
we  topped  the  crest  the  feel  of  the  wind  on  my 
back  told  me  that  the  gig's  head  was  falling  off 
to  port.  A  quick  stroke  brought  her  back  square 
into  the  wind.  We  shot  down  the  watery  slope,  but 
before  we  could  climb  to  another  crest  Yoritomo 
had  crept  past  me  to  his  post  in  the  pointed  stern. 

With  utmost  caution  I  headed  the  boat  a 
few  points  to  westward,  and  began  to  pull  aslant 
the  waves,  with  the  wind  on  our  port  bow.  It 
was  a  ticklish  moment,  for  I  did  not  know  how  the 
gig  would  handle.  Without  the  drag  of  our  aban 
doned  cask,  she  might  well  be  expected  to  fall  off 
into  the  trough  of  the  sea. 

The  struggle  was  now  on  in  desperate  earnest. 
But  as  I  bent  to  my  oars  with  all  my  skill  and 
strength,  I  realized  by  the  way  the  gig  responded 
to  my  efforts  that  we  had  at  least  a  fighting 

[61] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

chance.  Yet  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  hold  the 
bows  quarteringly  to  wind  and  waves  as  we  shot 
up  and  down  the  dizzy  slopes,  and  Yoritomo  was 
kept  busy  bailing  out  the  water  that  all  too  fre 
quently  poured  in  over  the  rocking  gunwales. 

At  last,  through  the  howling  of  the  gale  and  the 
slashing  roar  of  the  rain  on  the  waters,  I  heard  a 
deeper  note,  the  welcome  boom  of  the  surf  on 
the  west  shore.  Whether  we  were  as  yet  abreast 
the  cape  above  Uraga  I  could  not  tell,  but  I  held 
on  as  before,  regardless  of  whatever  reefs  or 
shoals  might  lie  off  this  rocky  coast.  Soon  the 
surf  roar,  which  had  sounded  abreast  of  us,  seemed 
to  fall  away.  I  gave  a  shout,  and  bent  to  my 
oars  with  redoubled  energy.  We  were  drifting 
past  the  point,  out  into  the  turn  of  the  bay  beyond. 

After  a  quarter-hour  or  so,  to  my  vast  relief 
the  force  of  the  wind  lessened  and  the  waves  ran 
lower.  We  were  edging  around  the  cape,  under 
the  high  lee  of  the  westerly  trending  shore. 
Another  quarter-hour,  and  we  were  in  compara 
tively  quiet  water. 

"Tomo,"  I  called,  "shall  we  attempt  a  landing? 
We  can  make  it  with  ease  under  the  shelter  of 
the  hills." 

"So  near  across  the  point  from  Uraga?"  he 
answered.  "Could  we  not  coast  up  the  west 
shore?  Every  mile  we  float  nearer  to  Yedo  is 
two  miles  of  walking  saved." 

[62] 


A    WILD    NIGHT 

"But  what  if  we  should  fetch  up  on  a  lee  shore? 
You  've  marked  more  than  one  promontory  on 
the  west  coast." 

"Hold  farther  out,  then,"  he  said.  "By  morn 
ing  we  might  drift  all  the  way  up  the  bay  and 
across  the  Shinagawa  Shoals,  into  the  mouth  of 
the  Sumida  River." 

"Clear  to  Yedo?"  I  cried.  "Yet  your  chart 
makes  it  less  than  thirty  miles,  and  it 's  only  a 
question  of  holding  the  boat  a  few  points  aslant 
the  wind.  We  've  seen  how  lightly  the  gig  rides. 
There  's  only  the  danger  of  those  promontories, 
and  I  've  the  wind  to  steer  by.  We  '11  do  it, 
Tomo!  " 

"Commodore  Perry  may  already  be  at  Naga 
saki,"  he  added,  by  way  of  final  argument  for 
haste. 

"Give  me  your  robe,"  I  said. 

He  slipped  off  the  loose  garment  without  demur, 
and  crept  forward  to  press  it  into  my  hand.  We 
were  now  in  water  in  which  the  boat  could  be 
safely  allowed  to  drift  without  guidance.  I  flung 
the  oars  inboard  and  lashed  the  robe  to  one  of 
them  so  as  to  make  a  small  triangular  sail.  While 
I  worked  I  gave  Yoritomo  his  instructions.  Soon 
the  sail  was  ready.  I  handed  it  over  to  my  friend, 
and  with  the  second  oar  for  rudder  made  my  way 
aft  to  the  sharp  stern.  A  few  strokes  brought 
us  around  with  the  wind  on  our  port  quarter. 

[63] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Immediately  Yoritomo  stepped  his  oar  mast 
through  the  socket  in  the  forward  thwart,  and 
set  sail. 

Though  so  small,  the  little  cotton  triangle  drew 
well,  as  I  could  tell  by  the  ease  with  which  the 
gig  responded  to  her  helm.  Another  proof  was 
the  quickness  with  which  we  ran  out  from  under 
our  sheltering  highland  into  the  full  sweep  of  the 
gale  and  the  high  waves  of  the  open  bay.  Scud 
ding  aslant  the  wind  as  nearly  north  as  I  could 
reckon  our  bearings  from  the  drive  of  the  rain 
torrents,  we  hurled  along  through  the  black  night, 
utterly  lost  to  all  sense  of  time  and  distance. 

After  what  may  have  been  two  hours,  or  possibly 
three,  the  rain  slackened  to  a  fine  drizzle  and  the 
wind  began  to  lull,  blowing  in  fitful  gusts  and  veer 
ing  about  in  a  way  that  left  me  only  the  run  of 
the  waves  by  which  to  shape  my  course.  Soon 
after,  to  my  surprise,  the  great  rollers  began  to 
lessen  in  height,  clear  proof  that  we  had  come 
under  the  lee  of  a  headland.  Outwearied  by  the 
long  struggle,  I  decided  to  try  for  the  shelter 
which  it  seemed  to  offer.  But  before  I  could 
give  the  order  to  Yoritomo  to  shift  sail,  a  roller 
broke  aboard  us,  filling  the  gig  to  the  gunwales. 

"Unship  and  bail!"  I  yelled. 

"Bailer  gone!"  he  shouted,  and  he  crawled 
aft  with  his  robe  sail  wrapped  about  the  oar. 

A  second  roller  broke  over  us.  We  were  among 

[64] 


A    WILD    NIGHT 

breakers,  either  upon  a  bank  or  a  shoaling  beach. 
As  I  labored  to  hold  the  gig  stern  on  to  the  waves, 
I  cried  out  in  anticipation  of  the  coming  shock: 
"Hold  to  your  oar!  Cut  loose  the  bundles. 
Stand  by  to  pass  me  mine." 

"Ready!"  he  called  back. 

The  gig  struck  softly  on  a  mud  bottom,  and 
was  instantly  smothered  under  a  third  breaker. 
But  the  impact  drove  her  over  the  bank,  and  we 
found  ourselves  afloat  in  fairly  calm  water.  An 
attempt  to  pole  with  my  oar  showed  me  that  we 
were  in  water  deeper  than  I  could  sound.  A 
last  puff  of  the  expiring  gale  caught  the  boat  and 
swung  her  about  broadsides.  Before  I  could 
bring  her  bows  on  again  she  struck  bottom  on 
another  mud  bank. 

Through  the  lessening  drizzle  I  could  see  the 
outline  of  a  rising  shore  near  at  hand.  The  boat 
lifted  in  the  low  swell  that  rolled  over  the  outer 
shoal,  drove  forward  a  few  yards,  and  stuck  fast. 
A  downward  thrust  of  my  oar  told  me  there  was 
hard  bottom  a  foot  below  the  ooze. 

"My  bundle,  and  follow!"  I  cried. 

Yoritomo  thrust  my  dunnage  into  my  hands, 
and  leaped  overboard  after  me.  Ten  yards  through 
knee-deep  mud  and  water  brought  us  to  the  foot 
of  a  sloping  embankment.  We  climbed  up  it 
and  stretched  out  upon  its  turf-covered  crest, 
panting  with  the  fatigue  of  our  long  battle  against 

[65] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

wind  and  wave,  yet  aglow  with  delight  at  our 
victory. 

"Come,"  said  Yoritomo,  after  a  short  rest. 
:'The  rain  has  ceased.  I  will  put  on  my  robe  and 
lead  you  to  an  inn  or  farmhouse." 

"Wait,"  I  replied.  "The  dawn  must  be  near. 
We  cannot  leave  the  gig  to  be  found  by  the 
first  man  who  conies  this  way.  We  must  sink 
her." 

Lightened  of  our  weight,  the  gig  had  cleared 
and  drifted  in  almost  to  the  foot  of  the  embank 
ment.  By  rolling  we  sluiced  enough  water  from 
her  to  set  her  afloat,  and  I  set  about  knocking 
out  the  bungs  of  the  breakers,  while  Yoritomo 
fetched  heavy  lumps  of  turf  and  clay  from  a  break 
in  the  face  of  the  embankment.  As  the  boat 
sank  deeper  into  the  water  with  the  filling  of  the 
breakers  and  the  weight  of  the  clay  ballast,  we 
thrust  off  into  deeper  water.  At  last  I  was 
satisfied,  and  shoving  her  out  into  the  channel 
between  the  mud  banks,  I  rocked  under  the  gun 
wales  until  she  filled  and  sank. 

A  few  strokes  brought  me  back  into  shallow 
water,  and  I  soon  regained  the  embankment.  In 
the  faintly  gathering  light  I  saw  that  Yoritomo 
had  already  put  on  not  only  his  robe  but  also  his 
leggings  and  sandals.  He  thrust  my  hat  and 
revolvers  into  my  hands  and  knelt  to  bind  on  my 
sandals  and  leggings. 

[66] 


A    WILD    NIGHT 

;'The  clouds  break,"  he  exclaimed.  "It  is  a 
good  omen.  Let  us  hasten  on." 

"On?"  I  said.  "We  cannot  go  far  without 
rest." 

"Until  we  find  a  farmhouse  or  inn,"  he  urged. 
Springing  up,  he  swung  his  dunnage  upon  his 
shoulder  and  led  off  inland. 

A  few  steps  brought  us  down  the  far  side  of  the 
embankment  into  a  shallow  swamp.  As  we 
splashed  through  the  oozy  slush  I  felt  tufts  of 
soft  grassy  stems  brushing  against  my  ankles  at 
regular  intervals. 

"Rice  field,"  muttered  my  friend  before  I 
could  question  him. 

The  stench  of  the  strongly  fertilized  paddy 
swamp  was  almost  insufferable,  and  our  discom 
fort  was  not  lessened  by  the  maddening  swarms 
of  mosquitoes.  We  crossed  a  narrow  dyke  and 
splashed  along  with  quickened  step  through  a 
second  field  worse  than  the  first.  Still  another 
dyke,  and  then,  beyond  the  third  field,  we  sighted 
higher  ground,  above  which  loomed  the  dimly 
outlined  tops  of  gigantic  trees. 

"The  Tokaido!"  cried  Yoritomo. 

A  hundred  yards  across  the  last  fetid  swamp 
brought  us  up  the  bank  and  into  a  broad  smooth 
road  beneath  the  dense  gloom  of  a  double  row 
of  cryptomerias.  We  were  upon  the  famed 
Tokaido,  or  East  Sea  Road,  which  connects 

[67] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Yedo  with  Kyoto  and  the  southwestern  provinces 
of  Japan.  To  my  surprise,  Yoritomo  crossed 
over,  instead  of  turning  along  the  road.  As  I 
followed,  he  pointed  to  a  wooded  hill,  upon  which 
a  group  of  lofty  trees  and  the  black  mass  of  a  small 
peak-roofed  building  stood  out  against  the  bright 
ening  sky. 

Skirting  the  edge  of  the  Tokaido,  we  soon  came 
to  a  path  that  led  us  windingly  around  through 
high  cbppices  and  up  the  far  slope  of  the  hill. 
The  last  of  the  clouds  were  now  sweeping  away  to 
the  northward,  and  the  eastern  sky  was  gray  with 
the  pallor  of  the  false  dawn.  We  gained  the  round 
of  the  hill,  and  passed  between  a  pair  of  heavy 
wooden  pillars,  cross-tied  with  a  square  lintel- 
beam  and  a  massive  roof-beam,  or  framework, 
with  upcurving  ends. 

"A  torii,"  muttered  Yoritomo.  "We  come 
to  a  temple,  not  an  inn." 

Though  I  caught  a  hint  of  disappointment 
in  his  tone,  he  led  on  up  the  bend  of  the  hillcrest 
and  across  a  shrubbery,  to  the  front  of  the  small 
grass-thatched  building  in  the  midst  of  the  tower 
ing  pines. 

"It  is  a  miya  —  a  Shinto  temple,"  he  murmured. 
:'Yet  we  need  food  as  well  as  rest." 

"They  will  give  us  no  food,  when  we  come  as 
fellow-priests?"  I  exclaimed  in  mock  indignation. 

"Even  when  a  miya  is  not  deserted,  the  priests 

[68] 


A    WILD    NIGHT 

of  Shinto  seldom  dwell  in  or  near  it,"  he  replied, 
and  I  heard  him  sigh.  He  was  as  near  outspent 
as  myself.  But  suddenly  I  saw  his  bent  form 
straighten.  He  faced  about  to  the  western  sky, 
with  upraised  arms,  and  his  voice  rang  clear  and 
strong  in  a  salute  of  reverent  joy:  "Fuji-yama! 
Fuji-san!" 

I  turned  to  look.  Far  away  to  the  west-south 
west,  beyond  the  black  silhouette  of  broken 
mountain  ranges  and  lesser  peaks,  a  marvellous 
pyramid  of  rosy  flame  towered  high  aloft  in  the 
starry  sky.  Red  dawn,  as  yet  unseen  by  us, 
had  turned  the  snow-clad  crest  of  the  superb 
peak  into  the  likeness  of  a  gigantic  blossom, 
pendent  from  mid-sky. 

"Fuji-san!"  repeated  Yoritomo,  and  he  fell 
upon  his  knees  and  bowed  his  forehead  to  the 
ground,  overcome  with  rapture. 

Swiftly  the  roseate  effulgence  brightened  and 
shifted  hue  to  a  glorious  gold  that  shone  with 
dazzling  brightness  against  the  blue-black  sky. 
The  eastern  sky  was  now  flaming  high  with  the  red 
dawn.  Lighter  shone  the  great  peak-crest,  its 
gold  changing  under  the  magic  transmutation  of 
day  into  the  cold,  burnished  silver  of  its  glistening 
snows.  The  sun  leaped  above  the  horizon,  and 
the  last  shadow  of  night  fled. 

Yoritomo  rose  from  his  knees  and  caught  up 
his  bundle. 

[69] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Come  within,"  he  said.  "We  can  at  least 
rest,  and  it  is  well  we  should  not  be  seen  until  we 
have  arranged  our  dress." 

Caught  in  the  midst  of  a  yawn,  I  signed  assent, 
and  he  led  me  past  the  stone  image  of  a  sitting 
fox  to  the  narrow  entrance  of  the  temple.  Pushing 
in  after  him  with  my  bundle,  I  found  myself  in 
a  gloomy  chamber,  shut  off  from  the  rear  half  of 
the  temple  by  a  close  wall.  There  was  no  idol 
to  be  seen,  and  the  only  furnishing  of  the  bare 
little  room  was  a  small  mirror  of  polished  bronze 
hung  about  with  strips  of  white  paper. 

Yoritomo  kowtowed  before  this  curious  symbol 
of  Shinto,  rose  to  his  knees,  and  waved  me  to  lie 
down.  I  stretched  out,  yawning,  and  he  sank 
down  beside  me.  In  another  minute  we  were 
both  fast  asleep. 


170] 


CHAPTER    VII  — ON    THE    TOKAIDO 

WE   wakened,   stiff  and   sore,   a   full 
two  hours  after  noon.     Yoritomo, 
who  was  first  to  rouse  up,  ran  to 
the  door  to  look  out.     He  turned 
about,    with   an   urgent   cry   that 
cut  short  my  yawnings  in  the  midst:  "Up!  up, 
brother !     We  Ve  slept  past  midday.     We   must 
lose  no  time  if  we  expect  to  reach  the  heart  of 
Yedo  by  nightfall." 

"Do  you  remember  the  two  biscuits  I  wrapped 
in  my  bundle?"  I  demanded.  "I'm  famished. 
A  drink  and  a  biscuit  for  me  before  I  take  to  any 
road  race." 

"We  must  dress  and  eat.  There  is  water 
outside,"  he  responded,  and  he  slashed  open  our 
bundles. 

Not  a  drop  of  water  had  penetrated  the  oil 
paper  wrappings.  We  slipped  off  our  stained  and 
tattered  Yamabushi  robes  to  put  on  the  silken 
garments  which  he  had  carried  from  his  country 
all  the  long  voyage  to  Europe  and  back.  First 
came  a  pair  each  of  the  gorgeous  baggy  trousers, 
or  hakama.  They  were  provided  with  side  slits, 
into  which  we  tucked  the  skirts  of  our  silk  kimonos. 

[71] 


The  narrow  twisted  obi,  or  sash,  served  to  hold 
my  revolvers  and  the  magnificent  Masamune 
sword  presented  to  me  by  Yoritomo  that  eventful 
night  in  the  cabin  of  the  Sea  Flight. 

My  friend  thrust  his  sword  and  dirk  into  his 
girdle,  not  in  the  horizontal  Japanese  fashion, 
but  vertically,  as  I  wore  mine,  that  the  scabbards 
might  not  show  beneath  our  outer  robes.  His 
writing  case  and  the  bag  containing  his  smoker's 
outfit  were  secured  on  the  other  side  by  passing 
the  carved  ivory  buttons  of  their  cords  through 
a  fold  of  the  girdle.  Inside,  about  my  waist, 
I  placed  my  twenty  odd  pounds  of  metallic  revolver 
cartridges,  while  he  packed  within  his  bosom  a 
lighter  though  bulkier  load  consisting  of  white 
silk  foot-mittens,  extra  sandals,  a  roll  of  crinkly 
writing  paper,  and  the  box  with  the  remainder 
of  his  gold  coins. 

Over  all  we  drew  our  cloak-like  coats,  or  haoris, 
of  rich  stiff  silk,  upon  which  the  circled  mallow- 
leaf  trefoil  of  the  Tokugawa  crest  was  embroidered 
on  back,  breasts,  and  sleeves.  These  coats  were 
in  turn  covered  with  our  dingy  priest  robes,  and 
we  were  outwardly  prepared  to  take  the  road. 
There  remained  our  inward  preparation.  We 
took  our  ship's  biscuits  and  passed  out  the  narrow 
entrance. 

My  first  glance  was  directed  towards  Fuji 
yama.  But  the  glorious  peak  was  shrouded  from 

[72] 


ON    THE    TOKAIDO 

view  by  a  bank  of  envious  clouds.  Yoritomo 
turned  at  once  to  a  hollowed  stone  from  which 
trickled  a  rill  of  pure  water.  We  drank  and 
crouched  down  beside  the  spring  to  gnaw  at  our 
biscuits.  At  first  I  was  too  hungry  to  heed  my 
surroundings.  Yoritomo,  however,  soon  pointed 
southward,  through  a  gap  in  the  shrubbery,  to 
where,  some  four  miles  distant,  a  hilly  promontory 
jutted  out  into  the  bay. 

"That  is  the  town  of  Kanagawa,"  he  said. 

"Where?"  I  asked.  "I  see  no  smoke.  Do 
you  mean  that  little  gray  blotch  low  down  on  the 
edge  of  the  promontory?" 

"No,  that  is  only  a  small  fishing  village  lying 
among  the  rice  swamps,  -  -  Yokohama,  I  believe, 
is  its  name.  Kanagawa  lies  about  two  miles  to 
the  west  of  it.  You  see  no  smoke  because  in 
Japan  we  use  charcoal  only.  Kanagawa  is  the 
last  station  on  the  Tokaido  where  the  daimios 
stop  over  night  before  marching  into  Yedo." 

"But  the  sons  of  the  daimios  repose  amidst  the 
splendors  of  the  temples,"  I  bantered  him. 

He  glanced  about  reverently  at  the  decaying 
little  edifice.  :<The  spirit  of  Shinto  is  simplicity. 
Yet  I  wish  I  could  have  entertained  you  with 
proper  hospitality,  and  that  we  might  enter  Yedo 
in  the  manner  to  which  we  are  entitled  by  our 
rank." 

"Ours?"  I  questioned. 

[73] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Are  we  not  brothers?"  he  countered. 

"You  know  the  position  of  my  family  at  home," 
I  said.  "But  it  is  a  far  cry  from  America  to 
Dai  Nippon.  I  have  read  what  the  Dutch  writers 
tell  about  the  hauteur  of  your  nobility.  Even 
as  a  friend  of  a  kinsman  of  your  Emperor,  will 
I  be  received?" 

"I  am  not  the  kinsman  of  the  Emperor,"  he 
replied. 

"You  're  not?  Yet  you  said  that  your  father, 
the  Prince  of  Owari  - 

"He  and  the  princes  of  Kii  and  Mi  to  are  the 
heads  of  the  August  Three  Families,  descendent 
from  the  three  sons  of  lyeyasu.  He  is  the  cousin 
of  the  Shogun,  not  of  the  Emperor.  One  alone 
can  be  called  Emperor  of  Nippon.  That  is  the 
Dairi  —  the  Mikado,  lineal  descendant  of  Ama- 
terasu,  the  Sun  Goddess.  The  sacred  Son  of 
Heaven  lives  in  awesome  seclusion  at  Kyoto." 

"Yet  I  am  aware  that  your  shoguns,  whom  the 
outer  world  has  known  as  the  temporal  emperors, 
have  ruled  Nippon  with  mailed  fist  since  the  days 
of  my  ancestor,  the  English  counsellor  of  lyeyasu." 

He  stared  at  me  in  blank  astonishment.  "The 
English  counsellor  of  lyeyasu!  —  he  your  ancestor? 
—  Anjin  Sama  your  ancestor?" 

"Will  Adams,  the  first  Englishman  to  reach 
Japan,"  I  answered.  "Surely  you  have  heard 
of  him." 

[74] 


ON    THE    TOKAIDO 


.. 


'Adams!  Was  that  the  English  name  of  Anjin 
Sama?  —  and  he  your  ancestor?  You  never  told 
me!" 

"How  much  have  you  told  me  of  your  family, 
Tomo?" 

"But  Anjin  Sama,  of  all  the  kami — !"  He 
gazed  at  me  with  a  strange  glow  in  his  black 
eyes.  "You  know  our  belief,  Worth,  that  the 
dead  come  back  many  times  and  are  often  born 
again." 

"The  Buddhistic  reincarnation,"   I   remarked. 

"And  the  Shinto  rebirth  of  the  kami --the 
high  ones,"  he  added. 

"But  what  of  \Vill  Adams?"  I  demanded,  aflame 
with  curiosity.  "I  know  that  he  married  a  Japa 
nese  wife  and  left  children  by  her.  Have  they 
any  living  descendants?" 

He    looked    away,    with    an    enigmatic    smile. 

"You  may  learn  more  of  your  ancestor,  brother, 
after  we  reach  Yedo.  There  is  an  Anjin  Street, 
whose  householders  still  hold  a  yearly  festival  in 
his  memory.  —  Come;  it  is  time  for  us  to  be 
going." 

As  he  spoke,  he  rose  and  started  around  the 
corner  of  the  temple.  I  followed  him  to  the 
corner  and  back  along  the  side  of  the  decaying 
building,  below  the  ragged  thatch  of  the  eaves. 
At  the  rear  corner  we  came  to  a  narrow  gap  in 
the  shrubbery  looking  down  upon  the  Tokaido. 

[75] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Yoritomo  suddenly  turned  about,  with  his  fingers 
to  his  lips,  and  drew  me  down. 

"Kwannonbe  praised!"  he  whispered.      'They 
did  not  see  us!      For  common  beggar-priests  to 
be  caught  staring  down  upon  a  daimio's  train  - 
Namu!" 

I  peered  forward  and  down  into  the  Tokaido, 
which  ran  past  less  than  a  hundred  yards  below 
us.  Along  the  broad  roadway  was  marching  the 
most  curious  and  stately  procession  I  had  ever  seen. 
It  was  the  retinue  of  a  daimio  who  was  going  up 
to  Yedo  for  the  half-year's  visit  required  by  law. 
By  far  the  greater  part  of  the  procession  was 
already  strung  out  Yedo-ward  farther  than  the 
eye  could  see.  But  half  a  thousand  of  the  rear 
guard  had  yet  to  pass. 

Used  as  I  was  to  the  sight  of  Yoritomo's  gar 
ments,  there  was  much  to  surprise  and  interest 
me  in  the  appearance  of  the  daimio9 s  retainers. 
Though  as  short  as  our  women,  they  were  of  a 
more  stalwart  build  than  I  had  expected,  and 
the  samurais,  or  two-sword  men,  carried  them 
selves  with  a  proud  assurance  that  went  far 
towards  offsetting  their  lack  of  height.  Among 
the  loose  ranks  of  these  gentlemanly  men-at- 
arms  marched  lesser  retainers,  —  grooms  with  gro 
tesquely  accoutred  led-horses  and  porters  with 
rattan  baskets  and  lacquered  chests. 

Yoritomo  whispered  that  the  box-like  palanquin, 

[76] 


ON    THE    TOKAIDO 

or  norimon,  of  the  daimio  had  long  since  been 
carried  past  by  its  bearers.  Yet  this  rear  end  of 
the  procession  marched  slowly  along  with  a 
demeanor  that  could  not  have  been  exceeded  in 
solemnity  and  stateliness  had  the  daimio  been 
present  in  its  midst.  The  hush  was  almost  oppres 
sive.  No  man  among  them  called  out  or  spoke 
or  even  whispered.  The  only  sounds  were  the 
scuffle  of  sandals  in  the  dusty  road  and  the  muffled 
thud  of  straw-shod  horse  hoofs. 

"What  is  the  crest?"  I  whispered,  staring 
at  the  insignia  embroidered  on  the  outer  garments 
of  every  retainer  and  marked  on  every  piece  of 
baggage.  "It  looks  like  a  white  cross  in  a  circle." 

"A  circled  cross,"  confirmed  Yoritomo.  "You 
saw  it  in  Kagoshima  Bay,  —  the  crest  of  my 
friend  Nariakiri,  Daimio  of  Satsuma." 

"The  Prince  of  Satsuma!"  I  exclaimed.  "Why 
not  hasten  down  and  join  him?" 

"Hasten  down,  and  be  slashed  or  beheaded 
by  the  first  samurai  we  passed ! "  rejoined  Yoritomo, 
grasping  my  sleeve  as  I  sought  to  spring  up. 
"Even  without  these  tattered  robes  it  would  mean 
certain  death.  Each  daimio  is  appointed  a  time 
for  passing  along  the  highroad.  Any  one  who 
breaks  in  upon  the  procession  may  expect  to  die 
without  benefit  of  medicine." 

"But  he  is  your  friend,  and  if  you  are  so  anxious 
to  reach  home  by  nightfall  - 

[77] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

;<  There  are  no  by-ways  through  the  rice 
swamps,"  he  replied.  "We  must  trail  after  the 
rearguard." 

''They  move  at  a  snail's  pace!" 

"It  will  bring  them  into  Shinagawa,  the  southern 
suburb  of  Yedo,  about  sunset.  In  Shinagawa 
I  expect  to  find  a  friend  with  whom  we  can  spend 
the  night.  Meantime  we  may  as  well  wait  here 
until  the  cortege  has  gone  on  four  or  five  miles. 
I  will  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  write 
a  petition  asking  permission  to  present  a  memorial 
to  the  Shogun." 

He  crept  back  around  the  corner  of  the  temple. 
I  stretched  out  in  the  balsamic  shade  of  the  pines, 
and  watched  the  slow  passing  of  the  procession. 
When  the  last  strutting  samurai  had  marched  on 
up  the  road,  I  gazed  around  at  the  landscape. 
Across  the  full  width  of  the  bay  the  mountains 
on  the  promontory  of  Awa  loomed  dimly  through 
the  haze,  while  the  blue  waters  between,  already 
stilled  from  their  night's  turmoil,  were  dotted 
with  the  white  sails  of  junks  and  fishing  smacks. 

Inland  the  golden  sunlight  streamed  down  out 
of  the  sapphire  sky  upon  a  scene  no  less  peaceful 
and  charming.  About  me  and  far  to  the  northward 
the  land  lay  in  broad  plain,  for  the  most  part  cut 
up  into  a  checkerboard  of  rice  fields.  Here  and 
there  rose  knolls  and  hills,  some  terraced  to  the 
top  for  rice,  others  wooded,  and  the  most  eminent 

[78] 


ON    THE    TOKAIDO 

crowned  with  temples  that  reminded  me  of  China. 
In  the  rice  swamps  naked  peasants,  knee-deep 
in  the  slush,  were  transplanting  tufts  of  young 
rice,  while  about  them  waterfowl  waded  or 
paddled,  untroubled  by  the  presence  of  man. 
Above  them  soared  numbers  of  eagles  and  hawks. 
Birds  were  to  be  seen  or  heard  on  every  side, 
but  I  noticed  a  marked  absence  of  animals  from  the 
landscape. 

Some  time  after  the  rear  of  the  procession  had 
disappeared  up  the  Tokaido,  Yoritomo  came 
back  around  the  temple,  and  said  that  we  must 
start.  I  pulled  my  hat  brim  low  over  my  face, 
and  swung  after  him  down  the  hillside  to  the 
smooth  road. 

For  a  time  we  met  no  other  traveller.  The 
road  had  been  swept  clear  by  the  procession. 
But  we  soon  came  to  groups  of  odd  little  shops  and 
inns,  strung  along  the  roadside  in  almost  continu 
ous  rows.  Within  the  open  fronts  of  the  shops 
cotton-robed  tradesmen  knelt  on  matted  plat 
forms  in  the  midst  of  their  cheap  wares,  while 
from  under  the  shallow  porticos  of  the  inns 
quaint  little  maidens  with  powdered  doll-like 
faces  and  narrow  skirts  smiled  at  us  invitingly 
and  bowed  until  we  could  see  the  great  bows  at 
the  back  of  their  sashes.  But  Yoritomo  kept  on 
up  the  road  at  a  fast  pace,  unmoved  by  the  alluring 
glances  of  these  charming  little  waitresses. 

[79] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Within  the  second  mile  we  began  to  encounter 
a  stream  of  travellers  released  from  the  post  town 
of  Kawasaki  by  the  passage  of  the  daimio's  train. 
We  were  the  first  to  come  up  from  the  south  in 
the  wake  of  the  daimio,but  the  people  we  met  had 
no  more  than  a  casual  glance  for  a  pair  of  dirty- 
robed  Yamabushi  priests. 

As  we  swung  along  through  their  midst  I  peeped 
out  at  them  between  the  meshes  of  my  loosely 
woven  hat  brim.  My  first  observations  were  that 
they  averaged  far  below  the  height  of  Americans, 
and  that  clothing  was  rather  a  minus  quantity 
among  all  but  the  white-robed  pilgrims  and  the 
silk-clad  samurais.  The  brown  skins  of  peasants 
and  fishermen,  porters,  grooms,  and  beggars  were 
either  innocent  of  all  covering  except  narrow 
loincloths  or  at  most  limited  to  a  shirt-like  kimono 
of  blue-figured  cotton,  a  straw  hat,  and  sandals. 

Aside  from  the  aristocratic  swordsmen,  these 
people  were  the  merriest  I  had  ever  met.  Wrhen 
not  smiling  and  chatting,  they  were  laughing 
or  singing.  Among  the  peasants  and  groups  of 
pilgrims  were  several  women,  the  younger  of 
whom  possessed  a  buxom  rural  prettiness.  The 
married  women  looked  aged  and  withered,  and 
pleasant  as  were  their  smiles,  my  Western  eye 
was  repulsed  by  their  shaven  brows  and  the 
gray-black  teeth  which  showed  between  their 
rouged  lips  at  every  smile. 

[80] 


ON    THE    TOKAIDO 

At  Kawasaki  we  swung  briskly  down  to  the  bank 
of  the  Rokugu  River,  where  bronzed  ferrymen, 
stripped  to  loincloths,  stood  waiting  for  passengers 
in  their  big  flat-bottomed  punts.  A  boat  in  which 
the  party  of  a  samurai  horseman  had  embarked 
was  being  thrust  off.  Before  Yoritomo  could 
check  me,  I  sprang  forward  to  leap  aboard.  In 
a  flash  the  samurai  drew  his  two-handed  sword 
and  aimed  a  blow  at  me  that  would  have  split 
my  head  in  two  had  I  not  dropped  backwards 
beyond  reach.  Furious  at  the  wanton  attempt 
to  murder  me,  I  sprang  up  and  fumbled  for  a 
revolver  as  the  boat  shot  out  from  the  bank. 

"Hold,  brother!"  warned  Yoritomo,  springing 
to  catch  my  arm.  "Remember,  we  are  only 
begging  priests.  He  had  the  right  to  resent  our 
company.  What 's  more,  he  is  a  hatamoto,  one 
of  the  Shogun's  samurais.  If  I  remember  aright, 
he  is  Yuki,  a  captain  of  the  palace  guard." 

"He  tried  to  cut  me  down  in  cold  blood!"  I 
protested. 

"It  is  a  right  of  all  samurais  to  kill  lower-class 
men,  and  you  affronted  Yuki  by  seeking  to  board 
the  same  boat.  Here  's  a  smaller  boat  putting 
off." 

We  ran  and  leaped  aboard  the  small  boat  as 
it  swung  into  the  stream.  For  fellow-passengers 
we  had  a  wealthy  old  merchant,  dressed  in  plain 
cotton  robes,  and  the  half-naked  bearers  of  his 

[81] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

narrow  U-shaped  basket-litter.  In  paying  our 
ferry  fees,  Yoritomo  offered  one  of  his  gold  pieces, 
and  the  boat's  owner  being  unable  to  make  full 
change,  he  gave  him  the  difference.  As  a  result 
the  polers  bent  to  their  work  with  such  hearty 
good-will  that  we  reached  the  opposite  bank  a 
full  three  lengths  in  advance  of  the  samurai's 
boat. 

We  sprang  ashore  past  a  bevy  of  little  brown 
children  who  were  paddling,  stark  naked,  in  the 
mud.  Shortly  beyond  we  met  a  pair  of  neatly 
dressed  girls,  whose  large  mushroom  hats  rested 
upon  black  silk  skullcaps.  They  smiled  and 
greeted  us  in  a  familiar  manner.  Yoritomo 
muttered  a  hasty  response,  and  pointed  back  at 
the  samurai.  The  girls  hastened  to  advance 
upon  that  quick-tempered  gentleman,  with  their 
battery  of  charming  smiles  and  alluring  glances 
in  full  action. 

" Courtesans?"  I  asked,  as  we  swung  on  along 
the  Tokaido. 

"No,  not  joros,  only  bikunis  —  begging  nuns, 
daughters  of  Yamabushi  priests.  None  would 
be  quicker  to  penetrate  our  disguise,"  replied 
Yoritomo,  and  he  quickened  his  pace. 

After  a  mile  or  so  we  again  met  a  crowd  of  south 
bound  travellers,  people  caught  at  Omuri  by  the 
closing  of  the  highroad.  We  hastened  on  to 
Omuri,  the  first  post  village  out  of  Shinagawa. 

[82] 


ON    THE    TOKAIDO 

Recently  as  the  daimio's  procession  had  passed, 
the  place  was  already  alert  for  business,  its  shops 
wide  open  and  teahouse  girls  standing  coy-eyed 
in  the  verandas.  We  hastened  on  through,  paus 
ing  only  to  buy  some  large  dried  persimmons  that 
caught  my  eye. 

A  mile  behind  the  town  we  came  up  with  the 
rear  of  the  Satsuma  procession,  and  were  com 
pelled  by  prudence  to  slacken  our  pace  to  a  tortoise- 
like  gait.  Making  the  best  of  the  situation,  I 
relished  my  persimmons  and  viewed  the  scenery. 
There  was  much  novelty  and  pleasure  in  the  sight 
of  orange  trees  and  bamboos  and  even  an  occasional 
banana  and  palm  growing  in  the  same  garden 
with  pines  and  other  evergreens,  while  the  deep- 
thatched  roofs  of  the  farmhouses  were  oddly 
attractive  with  the  beds  of  blue  irises  and  vivid 
red  lilies  blooming  on  their  flattened  ridges. 

Above  us  towered  the  giant  red-limbed  cryp- 
tomerias  of  the  Tokaido,  with  their  pine-like 
foliage,  while  on  our  right  the  road  skirted  along 
near  the  sparkling  blue  waters  of  the  bay,  upon 
which  sailed  flotillas  of  quaint  fishing  craft  and 
high-sterned  junks  that  might  have  served  as 
models  for  a  painter  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

Yoritomo  touched  my  arm  and  pointed  to  some 
thing  lying  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road.  I 
looked  closer,  and  saw  that  it  was  the  corpse  of 
a  peasant,  mangled  by  terrible  sword  cuts. 

[83] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"A  drunken  fool,"  he  said,  unmoved  by  the 
horrible  sight.  "No  sober  man  would  have  been 
found  in  the  road  after  it  had  been  sanded  for  the 
passage  of  a  daimio." 

Before  I  could  reply,  a  little  bell  tinkled  in  the 
road  behind  us,  and  Yoritomo  drew  me  quickly 
out  of  the  middle  of  the  thoroughfare.  I  glanced 
about  and  saw  two  runners  racing  towards  us 
at  headlong  speed.  One  carried  the  little  bell 
I  had  heard,  the  other  bore  a  small  bundle  on  a 
stick,  across  his  shoulder.  Both  were  stripped  to 
their  loincloths,  though  at  first  glance  I  thought 
that  they  were  clad  in  tights,  so  completely  were 
they  covered  with  animal  designs  tattooed  in 
red,  blue,  and  white. 

In  a  moment  the  couriers  had  dashed  past 
us  and  were  flying  on,  regardless  of  the  stately 
cortege  that  barred  the  road.  With  the  murdered 
peasant  fresh  in  mind,  I  looked  to  see  the  Satsuma 
men  turn  about  with  sword  and  lance  to  avenge 
this  outrage  upon  the  dignity  of  their  lord.  To 
my  vast  astonishment,  the  solemn  ranks  split 
apart  all  along  the  centre  of  the  road  at  the  first 
tinkle  of  the  little  bell,  and  the  naked  runners 
raced  on  without  a  check  through  the  midst  of 
the  procession. 

"Carriers  of  despatches  for  the  Shogun,"  ex 
plained  Yoritomo  in  response  to  my  look  of 
amazed  inquiry. 

[84] 


ON    THE    TOKAIDO 

Here  was  food  for  thought  to  last  me  into  Sh.'na- 
gawa,  slow  as  was  our  pace.  Nowhere  in  the  world 
had  I  witnessed  such  solemn  state  as  was  exhibited 
by  this  daimio  cortege,  a  state  so  exalted  that 
men  were  killed  for  venturing  within  sword -sweep 
of  the  procession's  vanguard.  Yet  at  the  tinkle 
of  a  bell,  all  had  yielded  the  road  to  a  pair  of  naked, 
sweaty,  unarmed  postmen.  What,  then,  must  be 
the  sublimity  of  rank  and  state  arrogated  to  him 
self  by  the  master  of  this  prince?  Yet  the  father 
of  the  quiet,  mild-mannered  gentleman  trudging 
along  in  the  dust  beside  me  was  the  blood  kinsman 
of  that  Oriental  lord  of  lords. 

We  were  close  upon  Shinagawa  before  I  realized 
that  the  sun  was  far  down  the  western  sky  and  fast 
sinking  behind  a  bank  of  black  clouds.  As  I 
looked  up  my  eye  fell  upon  a  rude  pillory,  standing 
near  the  roadside  on  ground  raised  above  the 
level  of  the  rice  swamp.  Along  the  top  of  the  rude 
structure  sat  five  roundish  objects  sharply  out 
lined  against  the  blood-red  sky.  Looking  closer, 
I  made  out  ghastly  human  faces  —  a  crow  flapped 
up  from  the  ground,  with  a  hoarse  cry,  and  began 
pecking  at  one  of  the  severed  heads. 


[85] 


CHAPTER   VIII. -THE  GEISHA 

DAY    was   fading   into    twilight    as    we 
trailed  after  the  Satsuma  men  into 
the  heart  of  Shinagawa.     On  either 
side  of  the  Tokaido  extended  rows 
of    handsome    two-storied    inns    and 
teahouses,   set  one  against  the  other  without  a 
gap  except  where  divided  by  narrow  cross  streets. 
The  upper  windows  and  balconies  of  every  building 
were  sealed  over  with  opaque  screens  to  prevent 
persons  from  looking  down  upon  the  daimio  and 
his  retinue,  and  across  the  entrances  of  the  side 
streets  were  stretched  frail  ropes  of  twisted  straw, 
behind    which    kneeling    crowds    waited    for    the 
passage  of  the  last  Satsuma  man. 

The  street  was  guarded  by  wardsmen,  or 
householders,  bearing  iron  staves  with  large  rings 
at  the  top.  We  shuffled  along  between  these 
warders,  with  downbent  heads,  perilously  close 
to  the  rear  of  the  procession.  Three  or  four  times 
the  wardsmen  seemed  inclined  to  halt  us,  but  we 
passed  by  them  with  outward  indifference,  keeping 
well  in  advance  of  the  crowds  that  surged  out 
behind  us  into  the  Tokaido  from  the  unbarred 
side  streets. 

Midway  of  the  long  suburb  Yoritomo  turned 

[86] 


THE    GEISHA 

sharply  into  a  narrow  street  leading  towards  the 
bay.  I  stooped  under  the  barring  rope  after 
him,  and  found  myself  in  the  midst  of  a  dense 
crowd  of  men,  many  of  whom  were  still  kneeling. 
Packed  side  by  side  in  the  jam  were  cotton-clad 
tradesmen  and  silk-gowned  samurais,  half-naked 
artisans  and  nobles  in  lacquered  norimon  palan 
quins.  All  alike  were  provided  with  paper  lanterns, 
round,  square,  or  octagonal  in  shape,  and  inscribed 
with  crest  or  name  in  Chinese  ideographs.  These 
lanterns  and  the  rows  of  similar  ones  hung  along 
the  fronts  of  the  houses  were  being  lighted  as 
twilight  deepened  into  darkness. 

Suddenly  the  crowd  through  which  we  were 
attempting  to  pass  swayed  forward  and  filled  the 
air  with  the  clash  of  their  wooden  clogs  on  the 
hard  ground.  The  rope  had  been  taken  down 
and  the  crowd  permitted  to  surge  out  into  the 
Tokaido.  While  we  worked  our  way  in  against 
the  outpouring  stream,  I  was  pleased  to  see  that 
there  were  no  women  in  the  jam.  But  on  either 
side  of  the  street  wide-flung  screens  exposed  to 
view  artistically  decorated  interiors  where  smiling 
young  girls  in  gorgeous  dress  knelt  on  the  mats, 
twanging  odd  music  on  their  three-string  samisens 
or  preening  themselves  before  mirrors  of  polished 
bronze.  In  other  houses  dainty  waiting  maids 
fluttered  about  like  butterflies,  serving  the  hungry 
guests. 

[87] 


N 

THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

The  crowd  in  the  street  was  the  sweetesfone 
with  which  I  had  ever  come  in  contact,  and  this 
was  no  less  true  when  we  elbowed  our  way  through 
a  band  of  breech-clouted  porters.  The  explanation 
was  not  far  off  when,  with  the  breaking  of  the  jam, 
we  approached  a  building  through  whose  latticed 
front  issued  clouds  of  vapor  and  a  babel  of  chatter 
and  laughter. 

When  opposite  this  house  I  glanced  in  through 
the  wide  spaces  of  the  lattice  and  was  startled 
to  see  a  large  company  of  nude  men  and  women 
splashing  about  together  in  a  great  tank  of  hot 
water.  It  was  a  public  bath  —  public  in  all 
senses  of  the  term!  As  we  passed  by,  a  dripping 
nymph  stepped  up  from  the  water  within  a  foot  of 
the  lattice  and  gazed  idly  out  into  the  street,  as 
naively  unconscious  in  look  and  manner  and  as 
innocent  of  costume  as  Eve  before  the  Fall. 

Yoritomo  swung  by  unheeding,  and  hastened 
on  to  the  open  front  of  one  of  the  larger  teahouses. 
A  moment  later  we  had  entered  a  long  stone- 
paved  passageway  that  ran  back  through  the  centre 
of  the  building.  On  one  side  we  looked  in  upon  the 
charcoal  ranges  and  sniffed  the  savory  odors  of 
the  inn  kitchen,  on  the  other  we  viewed  through 
half-closed  screens  the  commoner  guest-rooms  of 
the  house. 

At  sight  of  our  tattered  robes  bowing  waitresses 
sought  to  usher  us  into  one  of  these  front  apart- 

[88] 


THE    GEISHA 

ments.  Yoritomo  thrust  past  them  and  on  down  the 
passage,  fifty  paces  or  more,  until  we  came  out 
into  a  veritable  fairy  gardeli,  strung  with  myriads 
of  painted  lanterns*  As  we  seated  ourselves  on  a 
low'  bench  under  a  grape  arbor,  the  host  over 
took  us  and,  bowing  curtly,  asked  what  we  desired. 

"Does  Kohana,  the  free  geisha,  still  live  here?" 
asked  Yoritomo. 

"K!ohana  San,  the  artist  patronized  by  princes, 
still  honors  my  poor  establishment,"  replied  the 
man. 

"We  would  speak  with  her,"  said  Yoritomo, 
pushing  back  his  hat  until  his  pale  aristocratic 
face  could  be  seen  in  the  soft  lantern  light. 

The  landlord,  who  had  been  about  to  turn  us 
off,  hesitated  and  answered  in  a  more  respectful 
tone:  "The  most  famous  dancer  of  Yedo  enjoys 
the  favor  of  daimios.  How  then  can  I  bid  her 
come  to  attend  those  who  seem  no  more  than 
Yamabushi?" 

Yoritomo  drew  a  sheet  of  paper  from  his  bosom, 
and  taking  his  brush  pen  from  the  case  at  his 
girdle,  wrote  a  few  small  ideographs  in  the  classical 
Chinese  character.  Swift  as  were  his  strokes,  the 
first  letter  was  scarcely  drawn  before  the  host 
was  kowtowing,  forehead  to  earth.  He  rose, 
touched  the  finished  writing  to  his  brow,  and 
clattered  off  on  his  high  wooden  clogs  across  the 
fairyland  of  his  garden. 

[89] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"You  have  declared  yourself!"  I  exclaimed. 

"To  him,  no.  My  manner  of  writing  convinced 
him  that  I  am  of  high  rank.  But  I  wrote  only  a 
quotation  from  one  of  the  ancient  poems.  Even 
if  he  is  learned  enough  to  read  it  - 

"Will  this  dancer  then  grasp  your  meaning?" 

"Kohana  is  one  of  the  higher  class  of  geisha 
called  shirabyoshi,  —  one  of  the  superior  artists. 
She  is  of  samurai  blood,  and  the  old  geisha  who 
bought  her  in  childhood,  and  trained  her  after 
the  manner  of  geishas,  gave  her  the  highest  of 
women's  culture.  Before  I  left  Yedo  I  bought  the 
girl's  freedom  from  service.  She  was  then  in 
her  eighteenth  year." 

"You  bought  her  freedom!"  I  murmured. 
:'You  who  look  so  coldly  upon  women!" 

"I  could  do  no  more  for  her,  —  and  no  less. 
We  loved,  but  love  cannot  bind  a  true  samurai 
when  duty  calls.  I  vowed  to  give  my  life  to  the 
service  of  the  Mikado  and  Dai  Nippon.  To  have 
lingered  with  her  after  that  would  have  been 
despicable." 

I  sat  silent,  reflecting  upon  the  strange  customs 
of  this  queer  people  and  the  hidden  depths  in 
the  nature  of  my  friend.  All  my  intimacy  with 
him,  backed  by  close  study  of  Kampfer  and 
Siebold,  had  failed  to  prepare  me  for  the  bizarre 
contrasts  and  impressions  of  the  mysterious  land 
of  Nippon. 

[90] 


THE    GEISHA 

In  the  garden  about  us  pleasure-seekers  strolled 
along  the  rough-paved  walks  on  lacquered  clogs, 
but  none  disturbed  our  seclusion  in  the  arbor 
until  the  landlord  came  shuffling  back.  He  kow 
towed  before  us,  with  loud  insuckings  of  his 
breath.  I  could  scarcely  hear  his  murmured 
words:  "Kohana  San  sends  humble  greetings 
to  the  honorable  writer,  and  entreats  him  and  his 
honorable  companion  to  honor  her  lowly  dwelling 
with  their  august  presence." 

"We  need  no  guide,"  replied  Yoritomo,  as  the 
landlord  rose  to  conduct  us. 

The  man  again  prostrated  himself  and  held 
to  the  obsequious  salute  until  we  had  moved  away. 
The  moon  gave  no  light  through  the  curtain  of 
drifting  cloud,  but  as  we  hastened  along  a  winding 
path,  in  through  the  gay  rows  of  swaying  paper 
lanterns,  I  made  out  amidst  the  graceful  trees 
and  flowering  shrubs  grotesque  bronze  figures, 
odd  shaped  rocks,  and  quaint  pagoda-topped 
stone  lanterns.  , 

Soon  the  path  led  down  along  the  shore  of 
a  tiny  lake,  whose  still  surface  glinted  with  the 
many-hued  reflections  of  the  lanterns.  We  crossed 
over  at  one  corner  on  a  frail  bamboo  bridge, 
arched  like  a  quarter-round  of  hoop,  and  passed 
through  a  fern-set  rockery,  to  a  gateless  opening 
in  a  hedge  of  bamboos.  Beside  this  entrance, 
resplendent  in  a  miniature  kimono  of  silver- 

[91] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

wrought  blue  silk,  waited  a  doll-like  little  maiden  of 
twelve,  who,  having  duly  kowtowed  to  us,  tottered 
ahead  on  her  high  clogs,  to  conduct  us  to  the  house 
of  her  mistress. 

A  few  steps  brought  us  to  a  rambling  red-tiled 
bungalow  with  broad,  low  eaves  and  deep-set 
verandas.  Mounting  daintily  before  us  up  the 
rough  stone  steps,  the  child  knelt  upon  the  polished 
planking  of  the  veranda,  to  remove  our  sandals. 
If  she  was  astonished  at  our  mudstained  leggings, 
she  showed  not  the  slightest  sign,  but  bowed  us 
into  the  house  with  winsome  smiles. 

Though  all  the  screens  were  open,  the  interior 
before  us  was  dark  as  midnight.  The  little 
maiden  reached  down  one  of  the  lanterns  that 
hung  from  the  eaves  among  the  tinkling  wind- 
bells,  and  lighted  us  in  across  two  tiny  rooms  to 
a  large  apartment  fronting  on  a  miniature  garden 
court.  All  one  side  of  the  room  was  open  to  the 
court  veranda,  and  two  of  the  other  walls  were 
formed  of  sliding  screens,  but  the  far  end  of  the 
room  was  closed  with  a  solid  partition  containing 
a  shallow  double  alcove. 

The  little  maid  hastened  to  place  two  soft 
leather  cushions  for  us,  hesitating  just  perceptibly 
over  the  second  until  Yoritomo  indicated  that 
it  was  to  be  laid  beside  the  first,  close  before  the 
raised  floor  of  the  larger  recess.  Having  kowtowed 
while  we  reposed  ourselves  on  knees  and  heels, 

[92] 


THE    GEISHA 

she  pattered  about  the  room  with  a  taper,  lighting 
the  pith  wicks  of  several  little  saucer  lamps  that 
were  set  about  the  room  in  square  paper  frames. 

I  glanced  around  the  apartment  in  the  increas 
ing  glow.  The  soft,  thick  mats,  all  about  three 
by  six  feet  in  size,  were  set  in  the  floor  on  a  level 
with  the  slotted  sill-beams  of  the  wall-screens. 
Unlike  those  I  had  seen  in  the  front  rooms  of  the 
inns,  they  were  not  only  immaculately  white  and 
clean  but  were  bordered  with  strips  of  silk.  The 
sliding  screens  of  the  room  were  rimmed  with 
gold  leaf  and  painted  with  exquisite  landscapes 
in  rich  soft  colors.  The  low  ceiling  and  the  recessed 
wall  behind  us  were  finished  in  fanciful  cabinet 
work,  and  the  beautiful  grain,  of  the  two  woods 
used  was  polished  without  oil  or  varnish  to  a 
surface  that  shone  like  satin. 

The  one  side  of  the  recess  was  an  open  closet, 
filled  with  shelves  and  drawers;  the  other  was  the 
sacred  tokonoma  mentioned  by  the  Dutch  writers. 
Upon  its  wall  hung  a  blue  silk  banner,  painted  with 
a  summer  view  of  Fuji-yama.  Below,  on  the 
polished  floor,  a  vase  of  plain  earthenware  held 
a  single  fragrant  spray  of  Cape  jasmine.  Across 
from  the  vase  stood  the  bronze  figure  of  a  playful 
kitten,  with  paw  outstretched  in  graceful  invita 
tion.  Before  it  were  placed  a  few  grains  of  boiled 
rice,  a  tiny  cup  of  amber  liquid,  and  a  stick  of 
burning  incense.  It  was  the  emblem  and  godlet 

[93] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

of  the  geishas,  —  a  frolicsome  young  cat,  behind 
whose  velvet  touch  lurked  cruel  claws,  ever  ready 
to  mangle. 

Would  the  worshipper  of  this  image  meet  her 
former  lover  with  feline  treachery? 

As  I  asked  myself  the  question  the  room  re 
echoed  with  a  ripple  of  gentle  laughter,  melodious 
as  the  note  of  an  ^Eolian  harp,  sweeter  than  the 
tinkle  of  fairy  bells.  I  faced  to  front,  and  saw 
floating  towards  us  a  vision  as  wondrously  beauti 
ful  as  a  Buddhist  angel.  Against  the  jet  blackness 
of  her  high  coiffure  glinted  comb  crests  and  pin 
heads  of  amber  and  coral,  while  from  slender 
throat  to  tiny  feet  she  was  enveloped  in  a  robe 
of  scarlet  silk,  gorgeously  embroidered  with 
flowers  in  gold  thread,  and  her  plump  little  hand 
fluttered  a  vividly  colored  fan. 

Like  my  friend's,  the  girl's  face  showed  the 
samurai  type  in  its  oval  contour,  small  mouth, 
and  aristocratic  nose,  —  features  so  markedly 
different  from  the  broad,  flat  faces  of  the  lower 
classes.  The  characteristic  lack  of  prominence 
of  her  brows  and  the  bridge  of  her  nose  lent  to 
the  upper  part  of  her  face  a  mildness  of  expression 
well  in  keeping  with  the  inimitable  gracefulness 
and  gentleness  of  her  bearing,  but  her  rosebud 
mouth  and  lustrous  black  eyes  held  all  the  subtle 
allurement  of  a  Spanish  Carmen's. 

Bound  about  as  she  is  by  narrow  skirts,  modesty 

[94] 


THE    GEISHA 

compels  the  Japanese  woman  to  assume  in  walking 
a  short,  scuffling,  intoed  gait,  with  forward  bent 
body  and  head.  Yet  even  to  this  awkward  move 
ment  Kohana  San,  the  dancer,  contrived  to  give 
a  semblance  of  grace  as  she  hastened  forward  to 
prostrate  herself  at  the  feet  of  my  friend. 

The  little  maid  was  tripping  from  the  room. 
The  geisha  sank  down  before  us,  her  forehead 
upon  the  mat  between  her  little  olive-hued  hands, 
and  her  body  quivering  with  an  excess  of  emotion 
which  even  a  lifetime  of  training  could  not  enable 
her  to  repress. 

Yoritomo  gazed  down  upon  her  as  serenely 
impassive  in  look  as  a  bronze  Buddha.  Yet 
beneath  his  placid  tone  even  I  could  detect  the 
hidden  note  of  tenderness:  "Kohana,  we  have 
come  to  you  from  a  long  journey." 

"My  lord!"  she  murmured,  "to  my  lowly 
house  first  of  all!" 

She  rose  to  her  knees  and  gazed  into  his  face 
with  a  look  of  such  radiant  love  and  devotion 
that  I  forgot  on  the  instant  my  suspicion  of  her 
loyalty.  And  in  the  same  moment  I  forgave 
the  thick  powdering  of  rice  flour  upon  her  face, 
and  the  dark  red  stain  of  thistle  juice  upon  her 
lips,  and  the  greasy  pomade  with  which  her  hair 
was  matted  and  stiffened. 

For  a  minute  or  more  the  lovers  sat  silent 
and  motionless,  gazing  into  one  another's  eyes, 

[95] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Yoritomo  gravely  smiling,  Kohana  melting  to 
happy  tears.  That  was  their  greeting  after  three 
years  of  separation! 

"Tomo,"  I  whispered  in  English,"  do  you  not 
see  how  she  has  waited  and  longed  for  you  all  th*e 
time  since  you  left  her?  Console  her  for  the  past! 
I  will  go  out  and  leave  you." 

"Do  not  trouble,"  he  replied.  "Have  I  not 
told  you  that  we  Japanese  do  not  kiss  and 
embrace?"  He  turned  and  spoke  to  the  girl, 
who  was  glancing  at  me  out  of  the  corners  of  her 
long  eyes  with  intense  curiosity:  "Kohana,  my 
brother  is  weary,  and  we  have  not  bathed  in  two 
days." 

"My  lord!  no  bath  in  two  days!"  she  gasped, 
and  she  clapped  her  hands  sharply.  There  sounded 
an  answering  "Hai!"  and  the  little  serving  maid 
appeared  at  the  end  of  the  room  -  "  Quick,  girl ! 
see  that  the  bath  is  heated." 

As  the  child  trotted  away,  Yoritomo  peered 
out  through  the  open  side  of  the  room  into  the  dim 
garden.  "Close  the  shoji"  he  ordered. 

Kohana  hastened  across,  and  from  either  end 
of  the  room  drew  white  paper  screens  out  along 
the  slotted  sill  and  lintel-beams,  until  the  room 
was  shut  in  from  the  garden.  Within  a  minute 
she  was  again  kneeling  before  us.  Yoritomo 
smiled  into  her  beaming  face,  and  said:  "You 
will  now  be  honored  by  seeing  the  countenance 

[96] 


THE    GEISHA 

of    my    august    brother.     He    is   my    friend    and 
benefactor." 

At  the  word,  I  lifted  off  my  deep-brimmed  hat 
and  looked  at  her,  smiling.  What  she  had  expected 
to  see  I  cannot  say.  My  oval  face  and  even  my 
nose  might  easily  have  passed  for  Japanese,  and 
my  cheeks  were  tanned  almost  to  the  darkness  of 
Yoritomo's.  But  the  two  days'  stubble  upon  my 
lip  and  chin  was  very  thick  for  the  beard  of  an 
Oriental,  and  my  forehead  much  too  white,  while 
yet  far  more  my  round  blue  eyes  spoke  of  a  terri 
fying  world  all  unknown  to  this  gentle  girl.  Before 
my  look  her  eyes  widened  and  purpled  with  terror. 
She  sank  down  at  my  feet  in  speechless  fear. 

"Is  it  so  Kohana  welcomes  my  friend  and 
brother?"  asked  Yoritomo  in  quiet  reproach. 
:' There  is  nothing  to  fear." 

The  girl  straightened  and  gazed  up  at  me,  wide- 
eyed  yet  with  a  smile  on  her  trembling  lips. 
"  Tojin  sama!  forgive  the  rudeness  of  one  who  is 
foolish  and  ignorant!  Accept  the  humble  greetings 
of  your  servant!" 

"Is  the  tojin  so  fearful  a  beast  or  devil  in  the  eyes 
of  Kohana  San  that  she  still  trembles?"  I  asked. 

"Woroto  Sama  is  my  friend  and  brother.  He 
has  been  my  benefactor  during  all  my  travels 
among  the  tojin,"  added  Yoritomo. 

"Among  the  tojin,  my  lord !  You  have  travelled 
among  the  barbarians?  —  beyond  the  sea?" 

[97] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"To  the  five  continents.  I  sailed  away  with 
Woroto  Sama  towards  the  rising  sun,  and  sailed 
back  with  him  from  the  setting  sun.  The  world 
is  an  enormous  ball,  Kohana,  and  I  have  been 
around  it  as  a  gnat  might  crawl  around  Fuji 
yama." 

"My  lord  is  no  gnat!"  she  laughed.  "I  do 
not  understand.  Even  Fuji-san  rests  broadly 
upon  the  back  of  Dai  Nippon,  and  Dai  Nippon 
upon  the  back  of  the  great  fish.  How  then  could  my 
lord  go  beneath?  Did  my  lord  see  the  great  fish?" 

"I  saw  greater  things  than  the  fish  of  our  myth. 
Beyond  the  seas  are  lands  vastly  greater  than 
Nippon.  I  have  sailed  in  the  black  ships  and  seen 
the  power  of  the  tojin.  Tell  me  quickly.  Has 
word  come  of  the  fleet  from  America?" 

"No  more,  my  lord,  than  a  message  from  the 
tojin  at  Deshima  that  the  black  ships  had  sailed 
for  Dai  Nippon  and  would  force  the  Shogunate 
to  open  other  ports  than  Nagasaki." 

Yoritomo's  eyes  glowed.  "We  are  in  time, 
brother!  All  now  turns  upon  the  wisdom  or 
folly  of  the  Elder  Council." 

Kohana  rose  to  her  feet  barely  in  time  to  mask 
my  face  from  the  gaze  of  the  child-maid.  She 
had  returned  to  announce  that  the  bath  was  ready. 

"Go  bid  the  landlord  prepare  his  best  dishes 
for  my  guests.  Then  see  that  no  one  enters 
unannounced,"  said  her  mistress. 

[98] 


SHK  DiiorrKD  HKK  Iti.i  K  ROHK  KHOM  HER  G&ACEFUL  SHOI'I.DKRS 


THE    GEISHA 

The  child  turned  away  in  smiling  obedience. 
Yoritomo  signed  me  to  rise  and  follow  Kohana, 
who  took  up  a  lantern  and  thrust  open  one  of 
the  screens  of  the  inner  wall.  We  walked  along 
a  smooth  planked  passage  twenty  or  thirty  paces 
to  a  little  room  with  sloping  slatted  floor.  Beside 
the  door  stood  clothes-racks,  on  which  hung  thin 
towels  of  cotton  print.  Three  or  four  buckets 
of  cold  water  ranged  along  the  wall,  and  at  the 
lower  end,  half  sunk  below  the  level  of  the  floor, 
was  a  great  tub,  or  wide-mouthed  barrel,  from 
which  warm  vapors  were  beginning  to  rise. 

The  geisha  hung  her  lantern  to  a  convenient 
hook,  and  unwrapped  her  long  crepe  obi,  or  sash. 
In  a  moment  she  had  slipped  off  her  gold-brocaded 
robe  and  disclosed  a  still  more  beautiful  under 
kimono  of  azure  silk  embroidered  with  gold  dragons. 
Loosening  the  inner  obi,  she  dropped  her  blue 
robe  from  her  graceful  shoulders,  and  stood  before 
us  as  nude  and  as  unconscious  as  the  nymph  of 
the  public  bath.  Though  I  was  aware  that  she 
was  a  member  of  a  profession  that  her  people 
class  little  above  the  courtesans,  one  look  into  her 
earnest,  smiling  face  convinced  me  that  her 
thoughts  were  innocent  of  all  immodesty. 

"Our  customs  are  not  the  customs  of  the 
Occident,  but  they  are  now  your  customs, 
Woroto,"  said  Yoritomo,  and  he  ungirt  his  priest 
robe. 

[99] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

There  was  no  escape,  and  my  hesitancy  was 
brief.  My  friend  had  submitted  to  many  customs 
repugnant  to  him,  in  my  country.  Since  this 
was  a  custom  of  his  country,  I  could  do  no  less. 
His  matter-of-fact  manner,  taken  with  the  girl's 
naive  unconsciousness  of  all  wrong,  helped  me  to 
realize  that  true  modesty  and  purity  are  of  the 
spirit  and  not  of  outward  convention. 

The  ordeal  "was  no  light  one,  yet  long  before  the 
bath  was  finished  I  had  begun  to  forget  my  em 
barrassment  in  the  girl's  ecstasies  of  wonder  and 
delight  over  the  whiteness  of  my  skin.  Though 
distinctly  a  brunette  in  all  else  than  the  color  of 
my  eyes,  I  seemed  marvellously  fair  to  this  daughter 
of  the  Orient,  whose  own  skin  was  of  the  olive 
tint  of  southern  Italy  and  Spain. 

With  strict  impartiality  she  aided  our  ablutions 
with  the  cold  water,  and  then,  at  a  sign  from 
Yoritomo,  led  me  first  to  the  tub.  It  was  scald 
ing  hot,  yet  the  girl  betrayed  surprise  when  I 
insisted  upon  the  addition  of  two  cooling  buckets 
before  I  would  venture  in.  Even  with  that  I 
was  almost  parboiled  before  Kohana  had  finished 
shaving  my  friend  and  dressing  his  hair. 

When  at  last  he  came  to  take  my  place  in  purga 
tory,  the  girl  deftly  set  about  drying  and  sham 
pooing  me,  still  exclaiming  upon  the  fairness  of 
my  skin,  though  it  was  now  far  other  than  "snow 
white."  Having  dried  the  "honorable  tojin  sama" 

[100] 


THE    GEISHA 

she  proceeded  to  shave  my  face  and  crown  with 
her  queer  little  razor  and  to  reknot  my  cue.  To 
my  vast  relief,  she  then  cast  aside  my  Yamabushi 
robe  and  soiled  leggings,  and  left  me  to  dress  myself 
in  the  rich  garments  I  had  worn  inside  my  tatters. 


[101] 


CHAPTER  IX  -  -  NIPPON'S  GREETINGS 

CLEANSED  and  refreshed,  we  returned 
to  compose  ourselves  upon  our  mats 
in  the  guest-room,  while  Kohana  San, 
once  more  resplendent  in  gala  dress, 
hastened    out    for    our    dinner.     We 
were  not  long  kept  waiting.     She   returned  with 
a  lacquered  tray,  or  rather,  a  low  table,  twelve 
or  fourteen  inches  high.     This  she  placed  before 
me,  and  was  out  and  back  again  in  a  few  minutes 
with  a  similar  tray  for  Yoritomo. 

Each  tray  held  many  little  bowls  of  steaming 
hot  food  and  a  pair  of  plain  chopsticks,  cut  from 
a  single  piece  of  wood  and  not  yet  split  apart 
at  the  upper  end.  At  first  I  hesitated  to  begin 
eating  under  the  eyes  of  this  most  cultured  of 
geishas,  but  my  single  biscuit  and  the  handful 
of  persimmons  had  served  only  to  whet  my  appe 
tite,  and  the  savory  odors  of  many  of  the  dishes 
before  me  were  very  tempting. 

After  a  thimbleful  of  hot  sake,  a  curious  bitter 
sweet  wine  made  of  fermented  rice,  we  fell  to  on 
the  dinner,  which  Kohana  served  with  utmost 
deftness  and  grace,  ever  alert  to  refill  our  porcelain 
sake  cups  between  dishes.  The  meal  was  odder 

[102] 


NIPPON'S    GREETINGS 

than   any  I   had   eaten   even   in   China,  —  soup, 
omelet,  fishballs,  and  sponge  cake;    soup,  boiled 
crawfish,  lotus-root  salad,  and  salted  plums;  thin 
soup,   sweetmeats,  pickled    bamboo    shoots,    and 
stewed   cuttlefish;    thick    soup,   sliced  duck,  and 
stewed    vegetables;    sea    slugs    with    soy    sauce, 
loquats    stewed    with    sugar,    soup,    more   soup, 
and  last  of  all  plain  boiled  rice,  without  sugar  - 
which  is  scarce  in  Japan,  —  and  without  milk  - 
which  is  unknown. 

Throughout  the  eating  of  this  odd  medley  of 
exotic  dishes,  Kohana  was  either  pattering  out 
to  her  kitchen,  or  back  with  trays  held  level  with 
her  forehead,  or  replenishing  our  sake  cups  from 
her  heated  flask  of  the  amber  wine.  The  time 
came  when  we  could  eat  no  more.  The  last  dish 
was  removed,  and  Kohana  set  before  us  a  tray 
with  smoking  materials  and  an  embossed  copper- 
lined  brazier,  or  hibachi,  in  which  a  few  twrigs  of 
charcoal  glowed  upon  a  bed  of  ashes.  I  had 
smoked  too  often  in  Japanese  fashion  with  Yori- 
tomo's  outfit  not  to  know  how  to  roll  a  pellet 
of  tobacco  and  fill  the  tiny  silver  bowl  of  the  pipe 
now  offered  me. 

As  we  settled  back  on  our  cushions  and  drew 
slowly  at  the  silver  mouthpieces,  our  hostess  rose 
and  began  to  dance  for  our  entertainment.  Well 
was  she  named  the  best  dancer  in  Yedo!  Unlike 
our  Western  artistes,  she  did  not  glide  about,  but 

[103] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

stood  in  one  place,  seldom  shifting  her  feet,  yet 
swaying  body  and  arms  and  head  in  movements 
of  enravishing  grace  and  beauty.  For  one  of  the 
dances  she  withdrew,  to  reappear  in  a  haori 
whose  gorgeously  embroidered  sleeves,  fluttering 
from  her  extended  arms,  suggested  to  me  the 
movements  of  a  butterfly  even  before  Yoritomo 
explained  that  the  performance  was  called  the 
Butterfly  Dance. 

My  friend  had,  however,  graver  matters  in 
mind  than  amusement.  In  consideration  of  my 
pleasure,  he  had  waited  this  long.  Now  he  made 
a  slight  gesture,  and  the  girl  sank  down,  flushed 
and  smiling.  He  spoke  with  austere  abruptness: 
"Enough  of  play.  When  I  went  upon  my  travels, 
Kohana  said  she  would  be  my  eye  and  ear  in  Yedo." 

"My  lord  knows  that  few  things  fail  to  reach 
the  ear  of  the  free  geisha." 

"Begin.  Dai  Nippon  has  been  a  sealed  book 
to  me  since  I  sailed  from  Kagoshima  in  the  black 
ship  with  Woroto  Sama." 

She  kowtowed  and  whispered:  "There  has 
been  no  change  at  Kyoto." 

He  bowed  low  at  the  veiled  reference  to  the 
mysterious  Mikado.  "And  Yedo?"  he  demanded. 

Again  she  kowtowed,  though  not  so  low.  "His 
Highness,  Minamoto  lyeyoshi,  is  still  Sei-i-tai 
Shogun.  lyesada  Sama,  his  august  son,  is  no 
stronger  either  in  head  or  body." 

[104] 


NIPPON'S    GREETINGS 

"The  Council  of  Elders?" 

"Midzuano  Echizen-no-kami  is  now  head  of 
the  Council.  He  does  not  enjoy  the  favor  of  the 
Household." 

Yoritomo  nodded  slightly.     "The  Gosanke?" 

''My  lord's  august  father,  Owari  dono,  enjoys 
excellent  health.  My  lord's  august  elder  brother, 
Mori-  "she  hesitated,  "he  is  not  so  well." 

She  said  nothing  as  to  his  mother,  and  he  did 
not  inquire,  but  sat  silent,  apparently  meditating 
on  her  last  words.  I  surmised  that  they  carried 
a  meaning  beyond  my  knowledge  of  the  idiom. 
When,  after  a  few  moments,  he  lifted  his  lowered 
lids,  she  went  on  without  prompting:  "The  Prince 
of  Kii  is  still  given  over  to  the  pleasures  of  his 
women,  the  No  dances,  and  the  exploits  of  his 
wrestlers.  His  august  heir  is  still  a  child,  and 
Kii  dono  has  not  adopted  an  elder  son  to  take 
over  the  burden  of  the  title." 

:'The  child  may  become  a  factor  should  lyesada 
Sama  depart  this  life  before  his  august  father," 
said  Yoritomo. 

"My  lord!"  exclaimed  the  girl,  "the  choice 
of  the  Mito  faction  is  well  known  to  be  set  on 
Keiki,  who  has  been  adopted  by  the  Hitotsubashi 
family.  He  is  the  favorite  of  his  father." 

''The  former  Prince  of  Mito!"  muttered  Yori 
tomo,  his  handsome  face  distorted  with  the  first 
look  of  hatred  and  anger  I  had  ever  known  him 

[105] 


to  betray.  "Old  Rekko,  lord  of  the  frogs  in  the 
well!  When  I  left  he  was  still  imprisoned  in 
one  of  his  secondary  palaces." 

"His  Highness  the  Shogun  holds  steadfast 
to  the  counsel  of  your  august  father  and  of  li 
Kamon-no-kami.  Keiki  has  won  over  the  Council 
of  Elders,  but  the  Household  is  with  my  lord's 
party." 

"Satsuma  also  is  with  us.  He  does  not  forget 
that  my  father  brought  about  the  marriage  of  his 
adopted  daughter  to  lyesada,"  said  Yoritomo. 

"Over-confidence  is  a  traitor  in  camp,  my 
lord.  Always  before  this,  Kii  has  stood  with 
Owari  against  Mito,  until  the  saying  has  become 
a  proverb  that  no  son  of  Mito  can  be  chosen  to 
sit  on  the  stool  of  the  Shoguns.  But  now  Kii 
swims  in  pleasure,  and  Owari  stands  alone  against 
Mito.  Keiki  aims  high.  My  lord  has  read  how 
Hideyoshi,  though  barred  from  the  title  of  Shogun, 
attained  to  the  higher  office  of  Kwambaku." 

"He  would  climb  to  greater  power  on  the  ruins 
of  the  Shogunate!"  muttered  Yoritomo. 

"Either  Shogun  or  Kwambaku,"  replied  the 
girl.  "And  what  chance  has  he  of  the  first  as 
against  my  lord,  should  lyesada  Sama  go  from 
us  and  leave  the  heir  ship  in  doubt?" 

Yoritomo  gravely  shook  his  head.  "My  life 
is  given.  If  I  live,  it  will  not  be  to  sit  on  the  seat 
of  lyeyasu  my  forefather.  Our  choice  is  the  child 

[106] 


NIPPON'S    GREETINGS 

of    Kii  domo.     I  have    overcome   passion.     The 
thought  of  power  does  not  tempt  me." 

Kohana  prostrated  herself  at  his  feet,  with  a 
soft  insucking  of  her  breath.  "My  lord  has  over 
come  all  passion  and  desire!  He  has  entered  upon 
hisBuddhahood!" 

"Far  from  it,  foolish  girl!"  he  exclaimed.  "My 
heart  is  black  with  hatred  of  my  father's  enemies, 
the  real  enemies  of  Dai  Nippon,  and  I  burn  with 
desire  to  win  glory  in  the  service  of  the  sacred 
Mikado.  I  am  far  indeed  from  the  blessed  peace 
of  Buddhahood.  -  -  Tell  me,  has  Keiki  made  any 
open  move?" 

"Not  as  yet,  my  lord,"  she  replied,  straightening 
and  glancing  apprehensively  about  the  room, 
"  not  yet!  But  -  "  her  voice  sank  to  a  whisper  - 
"his  plans  are  laid  to  win  the  release  of  his 
father.  With  the  old  Prince  of  Mito  free  and  high 
in  the  favor  of  lyeyoshi,  my  lord  can  easily 
foretell  - 

'The  plans?"  demanded  Yoritomo. 

The  girl  began  to  breathe  quickly.  "My  lord 
has  heard  how  it  is  said  that  the  Princess  Azai 
holds  the  place  that  should  be  lyesada's  in  the 
heart  of  their  august  father.  It  is  unbelievable 
that  a  parent  should  consider  a  daughter  before 
a  son,  yet  this  has  come  to  me  in  a  way  that 
leaves  no  room  for  doubt.  My  lord,  would  a 
father  turn  his  face  away  from  one  who  had  saved 

[107] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

his  heir  from  the  blades  of  drunken  ronins?  The 
Princess  Azai  is  more  to  His  Highness  than  is 
his  heir." 

"Keiki  thinks  to  win  favor  by  a  trick!" 

"To-morrow,  after  midday,  when  the  Princess 
is  returning  from  worship  at  Zozoji,  there  will  be 
ronins  waiting,  Blows  will  be  struck.  They  will 
bear  off  the  norimon  of  the  august  lady.  Keiki 
will  rush  to  the  rescue.  What  wonder  if  a  fond 
father  soon  signs  the  pardon  of  the  rescuer's 
parent?" 

:<  To-morrow,  after  midday,"  repeated  Yoritomo, 
in  a  voice  still  and  impassive  as  his  face.  He 
turned  to  me.  ;<You  will  do  well  to  get  a  full 
night's  rest,  brother.  We  have  work  before  us." 

"But  what's  in  the  wind,  Tomo?"  I  demanded 
in  English,  as  Kohana  ran  to  draw  out  a  pair  of 
silk  quilts  from  a  drawer  in  the  lesser  recess  of  the 
tokonoma. 

"There  '11  be  the  devil  to  pay,"  answered  my 
friend,  the  glint  in  his  narrowed  eyes  boding  ill 
for  the  "devil."  He  nodded  towards  Kohana. 
"I  will  tell  you  more  fully  in  the  morning." 

The  hint  was  sufficient.  I  rose  and  followed 
the  girl  down  a  short  passage  to  a  small  room  that 
was  to  be  my  sleeping  chamber.  She  prepared 
my  bed  by  spreading  the  two  quilts  on  the  soft 
mats  of  the  floor  and  placing  at  the  head  a  little 
lacquered  box  rounded  on  the  top  with  a  small 

[108] 


NIPPON'S    GREETINGS 

roll  of  soft  paper.  This  was  the  pillow.  Over 
all  she  hung  a  large  canopy  of  mosquito  netting. 
There  remained  only  for  her  to  light  a  tiny  night- 
lamp,  kowtow,  and  withdraw.  Five  minutes  later 
I  was  fast  asleep,  with  my  jaw  upon  the  paper 
pad  of  my  wooden  pillow. 

How  soon  my  dreams  began  and  how  long  they 
continued  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea.  But 
I  had  a  prolonged  succession  of  the  most  fantastic 
visions  imaginable,  in  which  brown-skinned,  slant- 
eyed  elves  and  gnomes,  clad  in  outlandish  costume, 
were  ever  committing  outre  and  unexpected  antics. 
Sometimes  the  performance  was  of  grotesque 
horror,  as  when  severed  heads,  dripping  blood, 
flew  at  me  with  malignant  ferocity.  This  must 
have  come  from  a  blending  of  Yoritomo's  Japanese 
goblin  tales  with  the  ghastly  spectacle  of  the 
execution-pillory  outside  Shinagawa. 

After  a  time  I  found  myself  sauntering  through 
an  Oriental  Paradise  in  company  with  a  Buddhist 
angel,  who  bowed  down  and  worshipped  me  as 
the  God  of  Snow.  Immediately  I  became  a 
snow  image,  fast  melting  to  liquid  beneath  the 
noontime  sun.  I  melted  and  flowed  away  down 
through  a  fetid  rice  field,  into  the  blue  Bay  of 
Yedo.  Too  late  I  discovered  that  my  angel  was 
none  other  than  the  beautiful  Princess  Azai, 
daughter  of  the  Shogun. 

I  was  now  aboard  a  Japanese  junk,  flying  up 
[109] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

the  bay  to  save  the  Princess  from  the  guns  of  the 
American  fleet.  The  giant  steam  frigates  were 
fast  overhauling  my  slow  craft,  their  decks  cleared 
for  action  and  their  gun-ports  swung  open,  tier 
above  tier,  ready  for  the  bombardment  of  ill- 
fated  Yedo.  Suddenly  the  junk  struck  upon  a 
shoal,  over  which  it  was  driven  by  the  billows, 
only  to  strike  again  and  again.  As  the  mast 
went  by  the  board  and  the  hull  crunched  to 
splinters  under  my  feet,  the  stately  Susquehanna, 
flying  the  blue-starred  broad  pennant  of  Com 
modore  Perry,  swung  around  and  fired  a  thun 
derous  broadside  into  our  shattered  wreck. 

With  a  shout  of  terror,  I  leaped  up,  and  found 
myself  reeling  about  a  matted  floor,  in  the  dim 
light  of  a  tiny  lamp.  An  instant  later  the  floor 
heaved  and  rocked  under  me  with  a  sickening 
motion  that  flung  me  to  my  knees.  All  around 
I  could  hear  the  creak  and  groan  of  straining 
timbers.  Above  me  my  dizzy  eyes  made  out  a 
ceiling  of  odd-patterned  bamboo-work  and  swaying 
walls  whose  gilt  panels  glinted  in  the  faint  light. 

The  screens  of  the  end  wall  suddenly  brightened, 
then  shot  open,  and  through  the  gap  Yoritomo 
came  darting  towards  me,  lantern  in  hand. 

"Earthquake!"  he  cried,  springing  across  to 
extinguish  my  little  night-lamp,  which  was  on 
the  point  of  jarring  from  its  shelf. 

The  floor  steadied  with  the  passing  of  the  shock. 
[110] 


NIPPON'S    GREETINGS 

I  crawled  from  under  the  mosquito  net  and 
staggered  to  my  feet.  Yoritomo  seized  me  by 
the  sleeve,  and  dragged  me  out  the  way  he  had 
come.  I  heard  Kohana  calling  to  us  to  hasten. 
We  turned  a  corner,  and  saw  her  dart  towards  us 
across  a  room,  beyond  which  gleamed  a  square  of 
early  daylight.  Again  the  floor  lurched.  We  all 
three  sprawled  prone  upon  the  mats,  while  about 
us  the  rafters  and  beams  creaked  louder  than 
before  and  the  walls  seemed  toppling  to  crush  us. 

"This  way!  —  the  shutters  are  open  —  this 
way,  my  lord!"  shrilled  Kohana.  She  plucked 
at  Yoritomo's  sleeve,  and  scrambled  back,  tossing 
about  in  a  manner  that  would  have  been  irresist 
ibly  comic  but  for  the  terror  of  the  moment. 

We  followed  as  best  we  could,  now  crawling,  now 
staggering  half  erect,  like  drunkards.  Through 
it  all  Yoritomo  clung  fast  to  his  lantern,  too 
dazed  to  extinguish  it,  yet  fearfully  conscious  of  the 
peril  of  fire.  All  around  me  things  were  reeling. 
I  clutched  at  a  swaying  wall-post,  a  few  feet  short 
of  the  gap  in  the  wooden  shutters  that  closed 
in  the  outer  side  of  the  veranda.  Before  I  could 
glance  about,  a  fearful  shock  flung  me  across  the 
veranda  and  out  into  a  bed  of  roses. 

To  my  sorrow,  I  found  that  roses  in  Japan  have 
thorns.  Also  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  massive 
tiled  eaves  seemingly  about  to  pitch  upon  me. 
I  leaped  out  of  the  roses,  clear  across  a  path, 

[111] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

and  fetched  up  with  a  skip  and  a  trip,  coming 
down  squarely  in  a  bed  of  purple  irises.  In  perfect 
unison  with  my  own  arrival  at  stability,  the  earth 
spasms  ceased  as  suddenly  as  they  had  begun. 

From  behind  a  bush  on  my  left  a  voice  murmured 
in  quavering,  gurgling  delight:  "My  lord,  you  are 
safe,  unharmed?" 

"Unharmed,"  answered  Yoritomo,  and  he  called 
in  an  anxious  tone,  "Woroto!" 

"All  present  and  accounted  for,"  I  replied, 
rising  dizzily,  to  face  them  across  the  bush  in  the 
red  dawnlight.  ''You  are  not  hurt,  Kohana 
San?" 

"Nor  my  lord!"  she  cried,  with  a  soft  chuckle 
of  delight.  "After  all  it  was  only  a  little  wriggle 
of  the  fish's  tail." 

"Fish's  tail?  "I  inquired. 

;'The  great  fish  upon  whose  back  rests  the  land 
of  Dai  Nippon,"  explained  Yoritomo,  with  a 
twinkle  in  his  black  eyes. 

"If  my  lords  will  pardon  the  rudeness  of  their 
servant,  she  will  go  in  and  prepare  the  morning 
bath  for  them,"  said  Kohana,  and  before  I 
could  protest  against  such  rashness,  she  hastened 
up  across  the  veranda,  into  the  house. 

"Tomo!"  I  exclaimed,  "you  let  her  go,  when 
the  house  may  fall  any  moment!  It  must  be 
shattered!  That  little  wriggle  was  a  cataclysm." 

"The  shock  was  sharper  than  the  usual  weekly 


NIPPON'S    GREETINGS 

tremor,"  he  admitted.  "But  the  house  is  built 
to  withstand  all  but  the  heaviest  quakes.  The 
massive  roof  takes  up  the  vibration  of  the  shock, 
which  is  already  broken  at  the  loose  post  joints." 

Following  his  gesture,  I  looked  under  the  house, 
through  the  open  lattice-work,  and  saw  that  the 
house  posts  rested  each  with  its  hollow  foot 
perched  upon  the  round  point  of  a  half-embedded 
boulder.  He  nodded  reassuringly,  and  led  the 
way  back  into  the  house.  Within  I  found  the 
mortised  beams  and  panelled  woodwork  unharmed 
by  the  earthquake.  Thanks  to  the  absence  of 
plaster  and  standing  furniture,  the  only  result  of 
the  shocks  had  been  to  fill  the  rooms  with  dust 
and  upset  the  vase  with  the  jasmine  spray  in  the 
tokonoma  of  the  guest  chamber. 

Yoritomo  smiled  and  pointed  to  the  undisturbed 
bronze  kitten.  "  It  is  hard  to  disconcert  a  geisha  or 
her  god.  Kohana  will  soon  have  the  bath  heated. 
After  that,  breakfast  and  a  morning  of  delight. 
No  other  geisha  in  Dai  Nippon  can  dance  as 
dances  Kohana." 

"Morning?"  I  repeated.  "But  the  feigned 
attack  of  Keiki  upon  the  daughter  of  the  Shogun?" 

''There  is  ample  time,  and  the  more  we  refresh 
ourselves  the  better." 

:'Tell  me  more  of  the  plot.  Is  it  possible  the 
government  spies  can  be  deceived  by  such  a 
farce?" 

[113] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Death  is  never  a  farce." 

"Death?" 

"You  have  heard  me  speak  of  ronins,- 
samurais  who,  because  of  their  own  offences  or 
the  death  of  their  daimios,  have  become  masterless 
men.  Whether  scholars,  teachers,  or  criminals, 
all  alike  are  men  for  whose  acts  their  former  lords 
cannot  be  held  responsible." 

"And  who  no  longer  owe  loyalty  to  their  lords," 
I  added. 

"Not  in  law,"  he  assented.  "But  suppose 
certain  loyal  retainers  became  ronins  at  the 
bidding  of  their  master?  The  samurai  code  says 
that  a  man  shall  serve  his  lord  even  to  the  death. 
What  greater  joy  to  the  Mito  men  than  to  give 
their  lives  for  the  freeing  of  their  prince?" 

"You  should  hasten  to  warn  the  Shogun!" 
I  exclaimed. 

He  smiled  in  gentle  reproof  of  my  heat.  ;<  There 
are  guards  at  the  gateways  of  all  bridges  across 
the  inner  moat,  and  within  are  officials  interested 
in  barring  out  the  bearer  of  a  warning  message. 
Remember,  Keiki  has  won  the  favor  of  Midzuano, 
chief  of  the  Council  of  Elders.  Yet  suppose  the 
message  should  penetrate  to  the  august  ear  of 
lyeyoshi  Sama.  What  follows?  The  Princess 
does  not  go  to  worship  at  the  temple  of  Zozoji; 
no  blows  are  struck;  small  credit  accrues  to  the 
tale-bearer." 

[114] 


NIPPON'S    GREETINGS 

"You  would  risk  the  life  of  the  Shogun's 
daughter — of  the  princess  to  whom  you  are 
betrothed!" 

"There  will  be  no  risk  of  life  —  for  her,"  he 
replied. 

"But  the  shock?  —  her  terror?" 

"The  most  delicate  of  our  ladies  are  taught  to 
withstand  fear." 

"Consider  the  indignity  to  be  suffered  by  a 
princess,  your  kinsman,"  I  argued. 

"What  matters  the  terror  or  the  death  or  even 
the  dishonor  of  a  woman,  weighed  in  the  balance 
against  that  which  I  seek  to  accomplish?  No; 
whatever  the  cost,  I  must  win  a  favorable  audience 
with  the  Shogun,  for  the  sake  of  Dai  Nippon 
and  the  sacred  Mikado!  It  is  a  rare  chance  for  us, 
Woroto.  We  will  take  part  in  Keiki's  badger 
game." 

"And,  like  the  fox,  snap  the  game  from  between 
his  paws,"  I  punned. 

He  nodded.  "With  the  aid  of  Kohana,  we 
are  to  become  priests  of  the  official  Jodo  sect." 

"You  said  the  Yamabushi  are  Buddhists.  Why 
change?" 

"lyeyasu  built  Zozoji  for  the  Jodo  sect.  They 
have  charge  of  the  temple  and  the  tombs  of  the 
four  Shoguns  who  are  buried  at  Shiba  Park. 
Therefore  we  go  as  Jodo  priests,  lately  arrived 
from  Kyoto." 

[115] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"With  sharp  arguments  and  loud  words  for 
the  Mi  to  ronins"  I  added. 

He  caught  at  my  sleeve.  "Not  that!  —  not 
your  pistols,  brother.  To  fire  a  gun  within  the 
bounds  of  Yedo  is  certain  death!" 


[116] 


CHAPTER    X-    THE    PRINCESS    AZAI 

NOON  found    us   ready   for  the  start, 
our  swords  girt  on  under  the  flowing 
priest  robes,  and   hats    drawn  low 
to  shade  our  faces.     Upon  our  feet 
iron-shod  sandals  were  bound  firmly 
over  the  white  silk  foot  mittens,  in  keeping  with 
our  role  of  monks  of  noble  blood,   vowed   to  a 
pilgrimage  to  Zozoji  and  just  in  off  the  road.     But 
the  hilts  of    our  swords   were  within  convenient 
reach  inside  the  edge  of  our  robes,  and,  despite 
Yoritomo's   warning,   my   revolvers   were  no  less 
ready.     I  assured  him,  however,  that  they  would 
not  be  used  unless  the  occasion  justified. 

When  it  came  to  the  parting,  I  looked  to  see 
Kohana  protest  or  at  least  shed  a  tear  over  this 
short  ending  of  her  lover's  visit.  After  three 
weary  years  of  absence  he  had  come  back  to  her 
for  a  single  night,  and  was  now  going  from  her 
again,  it  might  be  to  his  death.  Yet  she  neither 
wept  nor  betrayed  any  other  sign  of  grief. 
Smilingly  she  conducted  us  from  her  house  and 
down  the  path  to  the  gateway,  where  he  signed 
her  to  stop. 

[117] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"If  all  goes  well,"  he  said,  "I  will  send  for  you 
or  come  again  to  Shinagawa." 

She  kowtowed,  with  a  softly  murmured  word  of 
parting,  ' '  Saionara ! ' ' 

"Farewell,  Kohana  San,"  I  responded.  "The 
tojin  carries  away  with  him  grateful  thoughts  of 
his  kind  and  beautiful  hostess." 

"Gracious  indeed  is  the  condescension  of  the 
august  lord  in  deigning  to  overlook  the  conduct 
of  one  so  rude  and  ignorant,"  she  said.  Yoritomo 
wras  swinging  away  at  a  rapid  stride.  She  rose 
quickly,  and  held  out  her  hands,  clasped  palm 
to  palm.  Her  eyes  gazed  up  into  mine,  full 
of  timid  appeal,  and  her  lips  quivered  with  a 
pitiful  smile.  "Woroto  Sama  is  a  lord  of  the 
tojin,  he  is  powerful.  While  he  slept  I  looked  at 
the  strange  weapons  he  bears,  and  my  lord  told 
me  their  use.  The  tojin  sama  is  a  friend  of  Yori 
tomo  Sama!" 

"If  they  kill  him,  they  kill  me,"  I  answered. 

With  a  swift  movement  she  drew  from  her 
sleeve  and  pressed  into  my  hand  a  dirk  whose 
richly  ornamented  hilt  and  sheath  told  of  a  precious 
blade  within.  I  would  have  sought  to  return 
the  gift,  but  she  sank  down  and  beat  the  ground 
at  my  feet, with  her  forehead.  I  thrust  the  dirk 
in  beside  my  sword,  and  turned  away,  feeling 
that  this  girl  of  a  despised  profession^  had  honored 
me  with  her  trust  and  gratitude.  Indeed,  I 

[118] 


THE    PRINCESS    AZAI 

might  say  she  had  ennobled  me,  since  I  had  needed 
the  dirk  to  become  a  samurai,  a  two-sword  gentle 
man. 

With  hat  brim  down,  hands  demurely  folded 
within  priestly  sleeves,  and  body  waddling  samurai- 
fashion  from  the  weight  of  cartridges  about  my 
waist,  I  followed  after  my  friend  across  the  beau 
tiful  little  landscape  garden  of  the  teahouse. 
There  were  many  guests  strolling  along  the  shaded 
walks  or  lunching  in  the  little  kiosks  which  from 
the  crest  of  a  terrace  looked  out  over  the  blue 
bay.  But,  unheeded  either  by  guests  or  attendants, 
we  passed  up  the  garden  and  out  through  a  wicket 
gate  in  the  wall  across  from  the  teahouse. 

As  we  came  into  the  narrow  alley  upon  which 
the  gate  opened,  Yoritomo  warned  me  to  keep 
my  hand  on  my  swordhilt.  On  either  side,  preening 
themselves  behind  barred  verandas,  I  saw  rows 
of  pretty  young  girls  clad  in  gorgeous  robes. 
We  had  entered  a  street  given  over  to  the  joro, 
or  courtesans.  Throughout  the  length  of  the 
lane,  samurais  flushed  with  sake  and  evil-eyed 
ronins  swaggered  aggressively  up  and  down,  with 
swords  cocked  high  in  their  girdles. 

Twice  we  saw  pairs  of  swashbucklers  draw  upon 
each  other,  but  hurried  past  while  their  blades  were 
yet  clashing  together  in  furious  cut  and  parry. 
Without  looking  back  or  so  much  as  glancing  to 
right  or  left,  we  swung  ahead  through  the  groups 

[119] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

of  cut-throats  and  drunkards,  and  our  steadiness, 
together  with  the  priest  robes,  won  us  safe  passage 
to  the  Tokaido. 

Along  the  highway  vice  was  for  the  most  part 
masked  behind  the  disguise  of  legitimate  teahouse 
entertainment,  and  the  rakes  and  ruffians  bore 
themselves  with  a  less  truculent  manner  among  the 
light-hearted  smiling  throngs  of  travellers  and 
townfolk. 

As  we  swung  into  the  busy  thoroughfare  I 
caught  my  first  view  of  Yedo,  a  view  impressive 
only  in  the  vastness  of  the  city's  extent.  Built 
in  great  part  on  low-lying  ground,  it  stretched 
out  along  the  curve  of  the  shallow  bayhead  and 
inland  to  the  northward,  in  a  sea  of  gray  unpainted 
roofs,  partly  relieved  by  an  occasional  temple  or 
red-roofed  pagoda  rising  among  groves  of  trees. 
In  the  midst  of  this  dull  expanse  rose  an  island 
of  low  hills,  upon  whose  wooded  crests  the  moated 
official  quarter  was  built  about  the  citadel-palace 
of  the  Shogun. 

A  mile  along  the  high  embankment  which 
guards  all  the  upper  curve  of  the  bay  brought  us 
to  the  black  gate  on  the  boundary  between  Shina- 
gawa  and  Yedo.  A  few  steps  beyond  it  Yoritomo 
significantly  drew  my  attention  to  a  roofed  notice- 
board,  covered  in  large  Chinese  characters  with 
the  ancient  edicts  against  Christianity.  Shortly 
after  he  pointed  out  a  temple  in  which  were  the 

[120] 


THE    PRINCESS    AZAI 

tombs  of  the  forty-seven  loyal  ronins  and  the  lord 
for  whose  sake  they  achieved  vengeance  and 
martyrdom. 

Somewhat  farther  on  we  left  the  Tokaido  and 
angled  off  inland  from  the  bay  towards  a  great 
park  called  Shiba.  It  is  formed  of  the  grounds 
of  Zozoji  and  its  many  subsidiary  temples,  tombs, 
and  monastery  buildings.  A  high-arched  wooden 
bridge  carried  us  over  a  canal,  or  tide-water 
stream,  whose  waters  swarmed  with  the  sampans 
of  fishermen  and  roofed  produce  boats  from  up 
country. 

A  little  beyond  this  muddy  stream  we  entered 
the  lovely  cool  glades  of  Shiba.  The  place  was 
an  Oriental  paradise  of  giant  trees  and  blooming 
shrubs,  from  which  sounded  the  merry  note  of 
twittering  birds,  blended  and  dominated  by  the 
flute-like  song  of  the  Japanese  nightingale;  while 
about  the  smaller  of  the  temples  lotus  leaves  and 
blooming  irises  rose  above  the  still  waters  of  ponds 
stocked  with  tortoises  and  goldfish. 

Yoritomo  gravely  led  the  way  across  this  rear 
portion  of  the  sacred  park,  along  stately  avenues 
of  giant  pines  and  cryptomerias  and  camphor 
trees,  between  rows  of  stone  lanterns,  under 
torii  of  wood  and  stone  and  bronze,  and  past 
grotesque  bronze  images,  to  enclosures  where 
broad  and  massive  temples  shouldered  up  the 
ponderous  weight  of  their  gray-tiled  roofs.  We 

[121] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

came  out  into  the  main  road  and  turned  along 
it  a  short  distance  to  the  entrance  of  Zozoji,  a 
magnificent  two-storied  gate  guarded  on  either 
side  by  hideous  red  and  green  demons. 

"Namu  Amida  Butsu!"  chanted  my  friend, 
and  mingling  with  a  crowd  of  worshippers,  we 
passed  through  the  ancient  gateway  into  the  great 
courtyard  about  Zozoji. 

The  temple  stood  at  the  head  of  a  flight  of  red 
steps,  and,  with  its  huge  red  pillars  and  enormous 
Chinese  roof  of  gray  tiles,  was  by  far  the  most 
imposing  edifice  I  had  yet  seen  in  Japan.  A 
mighty  sonorous  boom  smote  upon  our  ears.  I 
looked  to  the  right,  and  saw  a  priest  swinging  a 
suspended  beam  against  the  rim  of  an  immense  bell. 

Yoritomo  turned  across  to  a  building  on  our 
left,  and  between  the  thunderous  peals  of  the 
great  bell  addressed  a  young  priest  who  was 
writing  in  the  veranda.  I  could  not  follow  their 
low  conversation,  but  presently  I  saw  my  friend 
hand  the  priest  one  of  his  gold  coins,  in  return  for 
a  slip  of  paper.  After  this  we  joined  another 
group  of  worshippers,  climbed  the  temple  stair 
way,  and,  transferring  our  sandals  to  our  bosoms, 
glided  in  upon  the  mats  of  the  great  hall.  We 
stopped  a  little  way  inside,  between  the  great 
lacquered  contribution-chest  and  a  superb  dragon- 
wrought  brazier  from  which  was  rising  clouds  of 
incense. 

[122] 


THE    PRINCESS    AZAI 

Yoritomo  stared  for  some  moments  into  the 
gloom  of  the  vast  interior,  shook  his  head  slowly 
and  edged  about  to  watch  the  courtyard  and  gate. 
My  experience  in  China  had  already  acquainted 
me  with  the  many  startling  resemblances  between 
Catholic  Christianity  and  Buddhism  in  respect 
to  priestly  costumes,  ceremonial,  and  houses  of 
worship.  Yet  I  found  much  to  interest  me  in 
the  gorgeous  panelled  ceilings,  the  carvings  and 
arabesques  and  bronze-work  of  this  grand  temple. 

At  the  far  end,  within  the  railed  space  that  I 
might  call  the  chancel,  appeared  the  high  altar, 
crowded  about  with  the  shrines  of  various  images, 
colossal  candlesticks  and  lotus  blossoms  of  silver, 
bells  and  drums  for  the  use  of  the  officiating 
priests,  memorial  tablets,  bronze  offerings,  and 
emblematic  banners.  All  about  the  hall  on  the 
soft  matting  moved  crowds  of  priests  and 
worshippers,  tapping  bells,  murmuring  prayers, 
clapping  hands,  and  bowing  before  the  many 
shrines. 

A  touch  from  Yoritomo  drew  my  gaze  around. 
I  looked  out  into  the  dazzling  sunlight  of  the  court 
yard,  and  saw  the  crowds  falling  back  on  either 
side  before  a  band  of  samurais.  In  the  midst 
of  the  band  was  a  gilded  norimon,  beside  which 
walked  two  silk-clad  women. 

"She  comes.     Follow,"  whispered  Yoritomo. 

He  led  the  way  up  the  dim-lit  hall  to  the  chancel, 
[123] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

and  showed  the  paper  he  had  bought  from  the 
young  priest  to  an  old  monk  in  chasuble  and  stole. 
The  priest  eyed  us  sharply  and  stood  hesitating 
until  Yoritomo  slipped  a  gold  piece  into  his  itching 
palm.  At  that  he  led  us  in  behind  the  bronze 
screen,  or  rail,  and  left  us  bowing  in  a  recessed 
shrine  before  a  huge  many-handed  image  of 
Kwannon,  the  Goddess  of  Mercy. 

Hardly  had  we  gained  this  post  of  vantage 
when  the  sudden  hush  throughout  the  temple  told 
of  the  entrance  of  the  Shogun's  daughter.  Though 
she  had  come  incognito,  a  glance  around  the  corner 
of  our  niche  showed  me  the  mass  of  the  wor 
shippers  kneeling  with  forehead  to  floor.  Through 
their  midst  advanced  the  cortege  of  the  Princess, 
led  by  the  venerable  abbot,  who,  according  to 
my  friend,  was  a  blood  kinsman  of  the  mysterious 
Mikado. 

Fearful  of  discovery,  Yoritomo  drew  me  back 
into  the  denser  shadow  of  the  shrine.  Soon, 
however,  I  heard  the  soft  rustling  of  silk  garments, 
followed  by  low  murmurs  and  sibilant  insuckings 
of  breath.  Aflame  with  curiosity,  I  turned  half 
about,  and  ventured  to  raise  my  hat  brim  for  a 
sidelong  glance. 

The  lord  abbot  had  passed  on  up  to  the  high 
altar.  But  the  Princess  Azai  stood  only  a  few 
paces  distant,  a  little  in  advance  of  her  kowtowing 
women  and  samurais.  She  was  looking  up  at 

[124] 


THE    PRINCESS    AZAI 

the  benevolent  features  of  Kwannon  in  the  gloom 
above  us.  The  outline  of  her  dusky  hair  blurred 
into  the  dark  background,  but  her  face,  as  if 
framed  about  with  black  velvet,  stood  out  distinct 
in  all  the  pure  loveliness  of  an  Italian  Madonna's. 

Overlapping  kimonos  of  gold-wrought  rose  and 
azure  crepes  draped  her  about  in  graceful  folds 
from  the  base  of  her  round  white  throat  to  her 
tiny  feet,  and  her  hands  were  hidden  in  sleeves 
whose  tips  almost  swept  the  floor.  Beautiful 
as  was  her  dress,  it  won  from  me  only  a  passing 
glance.  My  eyes  returned  to  feast  themselves 
on  the  innocent  tender  beauty  of  her  face. 

Her  complexion,  untouched  by  any  cosmetic, 
was  of  an  ivory  whiteness,  slightly  tinged  on  the 
cheeks  with  rose.  The  adorably  curved  lips  of 
her  little  mouth  were  of  a  clear  coral  red.  Below 
her  delicate  high-arched  brows  her  black  oval 
eyes  gazed  out  between  the  long  lashes  with  the 
mildness  of  a  young  child's  and  the  divinely  sweet 
artlessness  of  budding  maidenhood. 

Forgetful  of  all  else  in  my  wonder  and  delight, 
I  thrust  my  hat  brim  higher  and  faced  square 
about.  A  projecting  corner  of  the  shrine  masked 
me  from  the  kneeling  attendants,  but  not  from  the 
Princess.  Drawn  by  the  intensity  of  my  gaze,  she 
lowered  her  glance  and  looked  full  into  my  face. 
On  the  instant,  I  knew  from  the  widening  of  her 
eyes  and  the  quick  rise  of  her  little  bosom  that  she 

[125] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

had  made  out  my  features  through  the  shadow  of 
our  dim  niche. 

Yoritomo's  voice  breathed  softly  in  my  ear, 
"Do  not  move!" 

I  waited,  breathless,  expecting  to  see  the  Princess 
cry  out  or  sink  down  as  had  Kohana.  Yet,  great 
as  was  the  awe  and  wonder  in  her  dilated  eyes,  she 
neither  shrank  away  nor  called  upon  the  guard  to 
protect  her  from  the  blue-eyed  apparition.  Such 
perfect  control  on  the  part  of  a  girl  so  delicately 
nurtured,  so  exquisitely  refined  in  look  and  bearing, 
was  more  than  I  could  withstand.  Regardless 
of  Yoritomo's  warning,  I  raised  my  head  higher, 
and  sought  to  express  in  a  smile  the  utmost  of 
my  admiration  for  her  courage  and  beauty. 

Again  her  bosom  rose  and  fell  to  a  quick-drawn 
breath,  and  her  lustrous  eyes  widened  yet  more. 
But  the  god  or  devil  —  whatever  he  might  be  - 
had  been  pleased  to  regard  her  with  a  kindly 
look.  Etiquette,  if  not  respect  and  gratitude, 
called  for  a  polite  response.  A  row  of  little  pearls 
gleamed  between  her  smiling  red  lips,  and  her 
lissome  young  body  bent  low  in  gracious  obeisance. 

Instantly  Yoritomo  grasped  my  arm  and  drew 
me  around  the  far  corner  of  the  shrine.  Before 
the  Princess  had  straightened  from  her  bow,  we 
were  slipping  out  through  a  narrow  doorway  into 
the  broad  veranda  of  the  temple.  The  sudden 
vanishing  of  the  priest-robed  apparition  must  have 

[1261 


A  Ko\v  OK  LITTI.K  IV.Aiu.s  GI,KAMKI>  BKTWKKX  HKK 
S.MII.I\(;  KKI>  LIPS 


THE    PRINCESS    AZAI 

seemed    to    her    clear   confirmation    of   its    godly 
or  ghostly  nature. 

In  the  veranda  I  would  have  stopped  to  whisper 
my  blissful  impressions  of  the  girl's  beauty,  had 
not  my  friend  snatched  his  sandals  from  his 
bosom  and  imperatively  signed  me  to  strap  on  my 
own.  The  moment  our  footgear  was  secure,  he 
hastened  down  around  the  rear  of  the  temple  and 
out  through  a  postern,  into  a  winding  road  that 
led  us  past  the  enclosures  of  two  or  three  mortuary 
chapels.  Had  the  occasion  been  different,  I  might 
have  pressed  my  friend  to  show  me  these  magnifi 
cent  memorial  tombs  and  temples  of  departed 
Shoguns.  As  it  was,  he  did  not  pause  until  we 
had  passed  down  a  long  row  of  stone  lanterns  and 
out  through  one  of  the  beautiful  secondary  gates 
of  Shiba. 

At  last  he  stopped  in  a  vacant  space,  and  turned 
to  reproach  me  with  mild  friendliness:  "You  should 
not  have  so  risked  discovery,  brother!" 

"How  could  I  help  it?"  I  demanded.  "She 
is  very  beautiful,  Tomo!  Candidly,  I  envy  you 
your  good  fortune." 

He  gazed  into  my  glowing  face,  his  own  quickly 
stilling  to  the  placid  Buddha  calm.  "Form  is 
an  empty  mask,  a  nothingness,"  he  murmured. 
"The  love  of  women,  the  craving  for  power,  the 
greed  for  gold,  —  all  alike  are  lures  to  decoy  the 
soul  out  of  the  upward  path  to  Nirvana." 

[  127  ] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

:<You  have  seen  your  future  bride,  and  can 
speak  of  Nirvana!"  I  exclaimed. 

"She  is  as  pure  and  beautiful  as  an  angel.  Yet 
I  looked  into  her  luminous  eyes  and  did  not  see 
my  soul." 

"I  saw  her  soul,  you  cold-blooded  Buddhist! 
Her  spirit  is  as  beautiful  as  her  face!" 

"No,  Woroto,  —  it  was  your  own  soul  you 
saw  shining  in  her  eyes,"  he  replied. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  I  demanded. 

He  shook  his  head  gently.  "  Who  may  penetrate 
the  mysteries  of  the  future?  You  may  have 
loved  her  in  some  previous  incarnation.  As  for 
me,  I  have  given  my  life  to  the  Son  of  Heaven, 
the  holy  Mikado." 


[128] 


CHAPTER  XI --ROUT  OF  THE  RONINS 

FOR   an   hour   or   more   we   loitered  about 
within  view  of  the  great  gate  of  Zozoji, 
waiting  for  the  cortege  of  the  Shogun's 
daughter  to  march  out  on  its  return  trip 
to  the  citadel.     That  the  Princess  would 
come  back  through  the  main  entrance  was  evident 
from  the  fact  that  the  norimons  of  her  ladies-in- 
waiting  were  stationed  in  the  road  at  one  side 
of    the    grand    carved    portal.     Yoritomo    stood 
beneath  a  camellia  tree,  seemingly  lost  in  medita 
tion,  but  I  paced  to  and  fro  through  the  passing 
crowds,  unable  to  restrain  my  impatience. 

At  last  between  the  meshes  of  my  hat  brim  I 
caught  sight  of  the  samurai  escort  of  the  Princess 
issuing  from  the  gateway.  In  their  lead  was  the 
quick-tempered  hatamoto  Yuki  who  had  struck 
at  me  from  the  ferryboat  at  the  passage  of  the 
Rokugu  River.  The  bearers  of  the  norimons  moved 
around,  and  as  soon  as  the  ladies-in-waiting  had 
taken  their  seats,  the  cortege  formed  in  line, 
with  one  of  the  norimons  before  and  the  other 
behind  the  gold-lacquered  palanquin  of  the  Princess. 
We  drew  back  behind  a  hedge  of  blooming  privet. 
Soon  the  cortege  marched  past  us,  at  a  slow 
[129] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

and  stately  pace,  though  the  absence  of  standards 
indicated  to  the  public  that  the  noble  person 
escorted  was  travelling  incognito  and  dispensed 
with  the  usual  kneeling  of  the  common  folk  along 
the  road.  I  examined  with  intense  interest  the 
sturdy  norimon  bearers  and  the  score  of  proud 
hatamotos,  or  shogunate  samurais,  who  made  up 
Yuki's  company. 

These  gentlemen-soldiers  seemed  to  me  to  be 
picked  men,  but  they  wore  no  armor  and  carried 
no  other  weapons  than  the  customary  sword  and 
dirk.  Though  their  petticoat-trousers,  were  neatly 
tucked  up  above  the  knees  in  the  tops  of  long 
silk  stockings,  freeing  their  legs  for  quick  action, 
their  arms  and  forebodies  were  encumbered  with 
the  peculiar  gauze-winged  ceremonial  jackets  and 
the  long  sleeves  of  their  haoris. 

:'That  guard  looks  more  like  dress  parade  than 
action,"  I  commented. 

"They  are  the  pick  of  the  best  swordsmen  among 
the  hatamotos;  yet  they  are  all  doomed  men," 
replied  Yoritomo. 

I  caught  at  my  swordhilt,  no  longer  intent  on 
the  fringe  of  split  bamboo  which  curtained  the 
window  of  the  Princess's  norimon.  "All  doomed? 
—  And  ourselves?  " 

"Mito  will  have  planned  to  sacrifice  as  few 
retainers  as  possible.  But  though  they  will  not 
be  many,  they  will  have  the  advantage  of  armor. 

[130] 


ROUT    OF    THE    RONINS 

Our  sole  chance  of  success  lies  in  the  method  of 
fence  you  have  taught  me.  Lunge  for  face  or 
neck.  Waste  no  thrusts  on  mail-clad  bodies." 

"We  can  at  least  hold  them  until  other  rescuers 
run  up,"  I  said. 

He  shook  his  head  doubtfully.  ''Look  down  the 
bay.  A  rain-squall  is  coming.  There  will  be 
few  in  the  streets,  and  if  Keiki  rushes  up  first 
with  his  rescue  party,  we  will  be  cut  down  with 
the  ronins.  As  you  say,  we  are  playing  against 
long  odds,  but  the  stake  is  big." 

"A  little  hot  soy  will  flavor  the  rice,"  I  replied. 
"Lead  on." 

He  shuffled  about,  and  we  strolled  out  and  along 
the  road,  keeping  half  a  hundred  paces  behind 
the  rearmost  of  the  strutting  hatamotos.  Leisurely 
as  was  the  advance  of  the  cortege,  we  were  soon 
clear  of  Shiba  and  approaching  a  hill  that  Yoritomo 
called  Atago-yama.  The  eminence  was  provided 
with  two  means  of  ascent,  a  straight  steep  stair 
way  and  another  one  long  and  winding.  The 
cortege  passed  by  on  one  side. 

We  now  descended  into  a  low  and  thickly 
populated  quarter,  passing  at  every  two  hundred 
paces  one  of  the  gloomy  gates  which  divide  off 
all  the  streets  of  the  lower  city  into  \vards  of  fifty 
or  sixty  houses.  Each  ward  was  given  over  to 
a  particular  trade  or  the  sale  of  a  certain  article,  - 
as  a  street  of  blacksmiths,  squatting  before  their 

[131] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

primitive  forges,  a  street  of  toy  merchants,  another 
of  lacquer-dealers,  fan-makers,  cabinet-workers, 
and  so  forth. 

Shops  and  people  differed  little  from  those  I 
had  already  seen,  but  for  the  first  time  I  observed 
the  lofty  ladder  watch  towers,  at  the  top  of  which 
hung  firebells.  The  urgent  need  of  such  means 
of  warning  in  a  city  built,  for  the  most  part,  of 
tinder-like  materials,  was  evident  from  a  belt  of 
ash-covered  ground  off  to  our  right,  in  which  the 
only  buildings  unburned  were  a  few  mud-walled 
storehouses. 

My  roving  eye  was  recalled  by  a  word  from 
Yoritomo  to  be  on  my  guard.  Kohana  had 
conjectured  that  the  attack  would  be  made  near 
one  of  the  moats,  and  we  were  approaching  a 
boat-crowded  canal  or  moat,  the  outermost  of 
the  line  of  fortifications  that  gird  in  the  Shogun's 
palace  and  the  yashikis,  or  palaces,  of  the  daimios. 
I  loosened  my  swordblade  in  its  scabbard,  and  held 
my  hand  ready  to  jerk  up  the  skirts  of  my  robes 
and  tuck  them  in  the  back  of  my  girdle. 

The  cortege  moved  slowly  on  down  the  busy 
street  and  out  upon  the  old  wooden  bridge  that 
arched  across  from  the  grassy  slope  of  the  nearer 
bank  to  the  abrupt  stone  wall  which  Kampfer 
calls  the  Outer  Castle.  We  followed,  warily 
scanning  the  band  of  samurais  that  approached 
from  the  far  end  of  the  bridge  and  the  scattered 

[132] 


ROUT    OF    THE    RONINS 

groups  that  clattered  up  behind  us  through  the 
crowds  of  common  people.  All  alike,  however, 
showed  the  utmost  deference  in  avoiding  close 
contact  with  the  attendants  of  the  Princess,  and 
the  crests  of  their  respective  daimios,  conspicuous 
on  the  backs,  breast,  and  sleeves  of  their  haoris, 
proved  that  they  were  not  ronins. 

We  plodded  after  the  cortege,  across  the  canal 
and  through  the  bastioned  gateway  on  the  far 
side,  out  into  one  of  the  smooth  wide  streets  of 
the  official  quarter.  Here  there  were  no  commoners 
to  be  seen,  and  the  few  samurais  scattered 
up  and  down  the  broad  way  were  hastening  to 
shelter  before  the  first  gusts  of  the  coming  rain- 
squall.  But  even  the  threatened  downpour  failed 
to  hurry  the  hatamotos  out  of  their  stately  strut. 
Seeing  no  sign  of  any  ronins,  I  relaxed  my  tense 
nerves  and  looked  about  at  the  long  walls  of  the 
yashikis  which  lined  each  side  of  the  street. 

I  knew  that  these  residences  of  the  daimios 
each  consisted  of  a  mansion  house  surrounded  by 
courts  and  gardens,  all  set  in  the  defensive  hollow 
square  of  the  retainers'  barracks.  What  I  had 
failed  to  picture  from  Yoritomo's  descriptions  was 
the  extent  and  odd  appearance  of  these  samurai 
quarters.  One  of  them  stretched  along  the  road 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  its  continuous  roof  of 
red  tiles  broken  only  by  a  grand,  ornate  gate, 
midway  of  the  monotonous  fagade. 

[133] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

The  mortarless  stone  foundation  walls  of  the 
yashikis  rose  from  deep,  curbed  ditches  that 
flowed  along  each  side  of  the  street.  Above  the 
high  foundations  the  walls  were  of  diagonally- 
set  black  tiles  with  wide  joints  of  white  plaster. 
Well  up  in  this  checkerboard  surface,  rows  of 
small  windows,  stoutly  barred  against  attack, 
projected  in  shallow  bays. 

A  turn  in  the  street  brought  us  in  view  of  the 
citadel  just  as  the  rain-squall  came  swirling  upon 
us.  Across  the  head  of  the  street  loomed  up  a 
mighty  wall  of  cyclopean  masonry,  its  granite 
base  deep  beneath  the  placid  waters  of  a  broad 
moat,  its  crest  crowned  with  trees  and  square 
pagoda  guard  towers.  Our  street  rose  to  meet 
the  causeway  that  ran  along  the  moat  bank  and 
curved  in  to  cross  a  wooden  bridge.  At  the  far 
side  a  huge  bastioned  gateway  led  up  into  the 
higher  ground  of  the  citadel. 

Beyond  the  trees  and  pagodas  that  fringed  the 
top  of  the  titanic  wall,  I  saw  outlined  against  the 
blackening  sky  the  lofty  white  peak  of  the  "Lord 
of  Heaven"  tower,  in  the  O  Shira,  or  innermost 
castle.  Then  the  full  force  of  the  storm  struck 
us  and  wrapped  us  about  in  blinding,  swirling 
torrents  of  rain.  Yoritomo  pressed  up  close  to 
me,  and  bent  over  to  make  himself  heard  above 
the  howls  of  the  wind  and  the  drumming  splatter 
of  the  deluge. 

[134] 


ROUT    OF    THE    RONINS 

"Be  ready!"  he  warned.  "Watch  this  street 
that  runs  in  on  the  left  where  the  vanguard  is 
passing  -  There  is  one  just  beyond,  on  the  right. 
At  the  moat  gate  is  stationed  a  powerful  guard. 
If  the  ronins  fail  to  attack  here  - 

"Look!"  I  cried,  grasping  at  my  swordhilt. 

Out  of  the  narrow  street  on  the  left  were  stream 
ing  a  number  of  cloaked  figures,  silent  and  down- 
bent  as  though  intent  only  upon  making  their  way 
through  the  storm.  As  they  filed  out  into  the  broad 
roadway  alongside  the  norimon  of  the  Princess, 
a  gust  of  wind  tore  open  the  cloak  of  one  in  the 
rear  and  exposed  to  our  gaze  the  bright  links  of 
chain  armor  writhin. 

" The  ronins!"  hissed  Yoritomo.  "Wait!  Make 
ready." 

I  let  go  my  half-drawn  sword,  and  hastened  to 
follow  his  example  by  tucking  my  robe  skirts  in 
the  back  of  my  girdle  and  tying  up  my  long  sleeves. 
In  the  midst  I  saw  one  of  the  hatamotos  turn  upon 
the  nearest  ronin  with  a  repellent  gesture.  In 
stantly  the  assassin  drew  his  sword  and  struck 
a  fearful  two-handed  blow.  The  head  of  the 
luckless  hatamoto  leaped  from  his  shoulders  and 
fell  after  the  blood -gushing  corpse  into  the  mud 
and  water. 

At  the  treacherous  blow  all  the  hatamotos  who 
had  seen  it  yelled  with  fury  and  amazement,  and 
flashed  out  their  swords  to  strike  down  the 

[135] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

murderer.  But  their  blades  clashed  without  effect 
upon  his  hidden  helmet  and  armor,  and  in  an 
instant  the  other  ronins  were  beside  their  chief, 
slashing  back  at  the  armorless  hatamotos.  Half 
a  dozen  guardsmen  fell  beneath  the  razor-edged 
blades,  slain  outright  or  hideously  maimed,  all 
in  the  brief  moment  before  those  in  the  van  of  the 
cortege  could  turn  about  and  rush  to  their  aid. 

I  found  myself  with  drawn  sword,  struggling 
frantically  to  free  myself  from  the  grip  of  my 
friend.  Though  I  was  the  stronger,  he  held  me 
fast  by  some  subtle  trick  of  wrestlers'  art  that, 
without  injuring,  rendered  me  as  helpless  as  a 
child. 

"Not  yet!"  he  muttered,  "not  yet,  brother!" 

Unable  to  free  myself,  I  was  forced  to  stand 
and  glare  impotently  through  the  whirling  rain 
at  the  terrible  massacre.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
fight  the  hatamotos  had  numbered  a  fourth  more 
than  the  assailants.  Now  they  were  already  less 
than  equal  in  number.  With  merciless  swiftness, 
the  ronins  struck  out  in  terrific  blows  that  split 
heads  to  the  chin  and  hewed  off  arms  and  legs 
and  ripped  open  bodies  with  hideous  slashes. 

Vainly  the  brave  hatamotos  parried  and  slashed 
back  at  their  foes  with  strokes  no  less  powerful 
and  often  more  skilful.  For  the  most  part,  their 
blows  served  only  to  slice  the  false  covering  from 
the  helmets  of  the  ronins  or  nick  the  steel  and 

[136] 


ROUT    OF    THE    RONINS 

brass  under  the  masking  cloaks.  But  every 
stroke  of  the  ronin  blades  that  reached  its  mark 
meant  a  ghastly  wound. 

Yet  the  hatamotos  were  not  the  only  ones  that 
fell  in  the  bloody  shambles.  Twice  I  saw  ronins 
go  down  under  blows  that  split  clean  through  their 
steel  helmets;  others  were  bitten  deep  by  blades 
that  slashed  through  the  firmest  chain  mail;  while 
more  lost  a  foot  or  a  hand  from  the  lightning 
strokes  of  the  Shogun's  swordsmen.  But  gloriously 
as  the  hatamotos  fought,  the  ronins  were  no  less 
brave  and  little  less  skilful,  and  the  armor  gave 
them  an  advantage  impossible  to  overcome. 

Never  had  I  dreamt  of  such  terrific  fighting. 
In  as  many  seconds  a  dozen  of  the  guard  were 
lying  mutilated  under  the  iron-shod  sandals  of  the 
ronins.  Every  hatamoto  near  the  norimon  of  the 
Princess  and  all  but  three  or  four  of  those  in 
the  rear  were  slain.  One  of  the  bearers  of  the 
rearmost  norimon  caught  up  a  sword  and  struck 
out  manfully.  Back  flashed  a  blow  that  split 
him  to  the  middle.  His  fellow-bearers,  who  so 
far  had  stood  as  though  paralyzed  by  fright,  fled 
past  us  shrieking. 

But  not  one  of  the  proud  hatamotos  sought  to 
escape.  Shouting  fierce  imprecations,  the  last  of 
the  rearguard  parried  and  struck,  each  as  long 
as  he  could  stand,  —  without  giving  back  an  inch 
before  the  merciless  attack  of  their  murderers. 

[137] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

The  six  members  of  the  vanguard  still  left,  burst 
through  the  ring  of  ronins  that  was  closing  about 
them,  and  fought  their  way  back  towards  the 
norimon  of  the  Princess,  whose  bearers  were  being 
forced  by  threatening  blades  to  swing  about  to 
the  narrow  side  street. 

"Now!"  shouted  Yoritomo,  as  the  ronins  again 
closed  around  the  vanguard.  He  freed  me  and 
leaped  away  up  the  street,  flourishing  his  sword 
and  yelling,  "Owari!  Owari!" 

I  rushed  after  him,  blood-mad  with  the  sight  of 
the  fighting  and  slaughter,  and  utterly  lost  to 
all  sense  of  danger  in  my  fury  at  the  ferocious 
treachery  of  the  assassins. 

"  Avast ! "  I  roared  in  English, "  avast,  you  devils ! " 

For  answer,  the  head  of  the  last  rear-guardsman 
came  rolling  towards  us  along  the  wet  pavement. 
Close  after  it  a  pair  of  ronins  sprang  to  meet  and 
slash  down  the  audacious  priests.  Out  lunged 
Yoritomo's  sword,  and  the  foremost  murderer 
fell  headlong,  stabbed  through  the  throat.  The 
second  slashed  at  my  head.  But  the  stroke 
glanced  harmlessly  down  my  parrying  blade,  and 
before  the  fellow  could  recover  guard,  I  drove  my 
point  into  one  of  his  glaring  eyes. 

As  my  man  fell  across  Yoritomo's,  three  others 
came  running  at  us  with  the  ferocity  of  tigers. 
We  sprang  to  meet  them  half-way.  One,  for 
tunately,  was  slightly  outdistanced  by  his  fellows. 

[138] 


ROUT    OF    THE    RONINS 

The  swords  of  the  two  leaders  clashed  against 
ours  in  fierce,  eager  strokes.  A  blow,  barely 
warded,  struck  off  my  hat  and  exposed  fully  to 
the  gaze  of  ray  opponent  my  distended  blue  eyes. 
A  look  of  horror  flashed  across  his  vengeful  face. 
Doubtless  he  thought  me  a  demon.  For  the 
barest  fraction  of  a  second  he  faltered  —  it  was 
enough  for  me.  Before  his  gaping  mouth  could 
snap  shut,  he  fell  to  my  lunge. 

I  wheeled  to  meet  the  third  man,  who,  as  Yori- 
tomo  parried  with  the  second  for  an  opening,  had 
sprung  around  for  a  treacherous  side  slash. 
My  outstretched  blade  met  but  failed  to  check 
entirely  the  blow,  which  fell  across  the  back  of 
Yoritomo's  right  shoulder.  Meeting  my  gaze, 
the  ronin  faltered  as  had  his  mate,  and  the  result 
was  as  fatal  to  him.  How  seriously  Yoritomo 
had  been  wounded  I  could  not  tell.  I  doubt  if 
he  was  aware  he  had  been  struck.  His  lunge 
followed  after  mine,  flash  upon  flash. 

We  darted  forward,  leaving  five  of  the  murderous 
band  already  accounted  for.  Four  more  were 
intent  upon  driving  the  bearers  of  Azai's  norimon 
on  across  into  the  side  street.  All  the  others  were 
crowding  around  the  few  survivors  of  the  vanguard 
in  furious  attack.  Only  supreme  masters  of 
Japanese  swordcraft  could  have  so  long  withstood 
the  tremendous  blows  of  the  assassins  throughout 
this  atrocious  massacre. 

[139] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

To  fling  ourselves  into  the  midst  of  the  deadly 
struggle  was  sheer  madness  —  but  it  was  a  glorious 
madness.  Having  a  moment's  start  of  my  friend, 
I  dashed  ahead,  past  the  rearmost  norimon,  from 
which  the  younger  lady-in-waiting  was  frantically 
struggling  to  free  herself.  The  norimon  of  the  prin 
cess  had  been  swung  about,  and  its  reluctant  bearers 
were  being  forced  into  a  trot  by  prodding  dirks. 

Shouting  a  command  for  the  bearers  to  halt, 
I  ran  upon  the  ronins  at  the  rear,  who  were  directly 
before  me.  Until  this  moment  they  had  been 
too  intent  upon  driving  the  bearers  to  perceive 
us.  The  sight  of  their  fallen  comrades  and  the 
possibility  of  a  check  in  their  plans  seemed  to 
madden  them.  They  rushed  to  meet  me  with  a 
silent  rage  that  flamed  into  wildest  fury  at  sight 
of  my  tojin  eyes. 

"Demon!  Kill!  kill!"  they  yelled,  and  their 
strokes  flashed  out  at  me  so  swift  and  strong  that 
I  was  beaten  back  a  full  two  yards,  and  saved 
myself  from  the  whistling  blades  only  by  the 
nimblest  of  footwork  and  parrying. 

In  a  moment,  though  none  too  soon,  Yoritomo 
sprang  to  my  side  and  crippled  one  of  the  grinning 
fiends  with  a  leg  cut.  This  man  must  have  been 
the  leader  of  the  band,  for  as  he  and  his  mate 
fell  to  our  thrusts,  the  pair  at  the  head  of  the  nori 
mon  checked  their  charge  upon  us,  and  shouted 
loudly  to  their  fellows. 

[140] 


Only  three  of  the  hatamotos  now  stood  in  the 
merciless  circle  of  swords,  and  but  one  of  their 
assailants  had  fallen.  At  the  cry  for  help,  the 
greater  number  of  the  ronins  wheeled  about  and 
charged  upon  us,  with  the  rain  splashing  upon 
their  downbent  helmet  brims. 

"Shoot!"    gasped    Yoritomo,    bending   over   to 
lean    upon    his    sword.     "My    arm   weakens !- 
Shoot!" 

Already  my  right  hand  was  thrusting  into  my 
bosom.  As  I  drew  out  one  of  the  revolvers  and 
cocked  it,  I  stepped  forward  and  to  the  left,  that  I 
might  have  the  norimon  between  me  and  the  charg 
ing  ronins.  At  the  same  moment  the  young 
samurai  woman  from  the  rear  norimon  darted 
between  the  bearers  and  stood  up  across  from  me, 
facing  the  ronins,  with  upraised  dirk.  She  could 
not  have  hoped  to  stop  the  ruffians  for  an  instant, 
but  she  thought  they  meant  to  injure  her  mistress, 
and  so  was  offering  her  own  bosom  first  to  the 
murderous  blades. 

The  sight  of  such  absolute  courage  and  devotion 
steadied  my  twitching  hand.  I  raised  my  revolver, 
and  fired  as  rapidly  as  I  could  work  hammer  and 
trigger.  The  ronins  were  too  close  for  me  to 
miss  even  through  the  swirl  of  wind  and  rain.  I 
risked  no  glancing  of  balls  from  mailed  breasts, 
but  aimed  at  the  devilish  faces  below  their  broad 
helmet  brims.  To  shoot  wide  of  such  large 

[141] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

marks  within  a  distance  of  ten  paces  and  less 
would  have  been  difficult,  and  a  man  shot  from 
the  front  anywhere  between  mouth  and  brows 
never  requires  a  second  ball.  Down  went  the  fore 
most  ronins,  sprawling  backwards  in  the  flooded 
roadway,  one  at  every  shot. 

To  these  mediaeval  warriors,  acquainted  only 
with  antique  matchlocks  and  Tower  muskets, 
the  mysterious  appearance  and  rapid  fire  of  my 
revolver  must  have  been  even  more  appalling 
than  the  death  of  their  leaders.  Before  I  could 
snatch  out  my  second  pistol,  every  man  of  them 
still  on  his  feet  fled  towards  the  narrow  cross 
street,  shrieking  that  I  was  the  daimio  of  demons. 
To  aid  their  flight,  I  sent  after  them  a  leaden 
message  that  glanced  from  the  helmet  of  the  rear 
most  man,  yet  sent  him  staggering  for  a  dozen 
yards. 


[142] 


CHAPTER    XII  -  -  ESCORT    TO    THE    PRINCESS 

A    GUST  whirled  the  smoke  of  the  shot 
into    my    face.     As    I    paused    with 
half- raised    pistol,    waiting    for     the 
puff    to    sweep    aside,    I    heard    the 
samurai    lady    calling    cheerfully    to 
her  mistress,     "My  Princess!  august  lady!     Fear 
nothing.     The  ronins  have  fled!" 

I  gazed  about  at  the  norimon.  On  the  far  side 
the  brave  girl  was  kneeling  in  her  drenched  silks, 
intent  upon  reassuring  the  occupant  of  the  palan 
quin  with  word  and  smile.  But  the  Princess 
had  turned  to  the  window  on  my  side,  and,  heed 
less  of  the  rain,  was  peering  out  at  me  through 
the  parted  bamboo  curtain  with  even  more  awe  and 
wonder  in  her  dusky  eyes  than  when  she  saw  me 
in  the  temple. 

My  features,  flushed  and  distorted  as  they  were 
from  the  rage  of  battle  and  bloodshed,  and  fully 
exposed  to  view  by  the  loss  of  my  hat,  must  have 
appeared  to  her  both  outre  and  terrifying.  Yet 
she  was  aware  that  I  had  helped  to  save  her  from 
the  ronins.  The  samurai  girl  was  exclaiming  the 
fact  through  the  other  window.  I  bent  toward 
her  with  a  reassuring  smile,  but  before  I  could 

[143] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

speak,  Yoritomo  .shouted  to  the  hearers,  "About, 
men!  To  the  palace!" 

The  xu mural  girl  sprang  up  as  the  willing  hearers 
swung  aromi' 1  over  I  he  bodies  of  the  dead  and 
wounded.  The  two  Intfninotox  who  alone  had 
lived  to  witness  the  flight  of  the  roninx  came 
staggering  to  meet  the  litter,  the  blood  of  their 
many  wounds  dripping  with  the  rain  from  their 
tattered  coats.  One  of  them  I  recognized  as 
Yuki  the  captain.  Past  the  wounded  men  darted 
the  aged  ftainnmi  woman  of  the  foremost  norinmii. 
whose  bearers  had  tied  at  the  beginning  of  the 
attack,  and  who  had  only  just  contrived  to  squeeze 
from  her  narrow  box. 

I  drew  a  deep  breath,  and  stared  around  at 
the  bloody  scene  through  the  lessening  rain,  in 
sudden  bewilderment.  To  have  witnessed  the 
butchery  of  all  those  brave  liutdiuotoft.  to  have  had 
so  large  a  part  in  the  defeat  and  rout  of  their 
murderers,  to  have  met  again  the  soft  gaze  of 
the  Shogmfs  daughter,  all  within  lit  tie  more  than 
two  minute-  -small  wonder  I  stood  dazed!  It 
was  my  first  fight,  the  first  time  I  had  ever  met 
and  struck  down  men  in  mortal  combat. 

One  of  the  wounded  roninx  had  dragged  himself 
a  little  aside  and,  crouched  on  knees  and  heels, 
was  bending  forward  with  the  point  of  his  dirk  at 
his  bared  left  loin.  I  caught  at  Yoritomo's  arm 
to  point  out  the  man,  but  before  he  could  turn 

[t44] 


ESCORT    TO    THE    PRINCESS 


to  look,  the  ronin  had  stabbed  himself  and 
drawing  the  blade  across  his  middle  with  a  horrible 
deliberateness.  After  the  cross  stroke  there  fol 
lowed  an  upward  cut.  The  suicide  swayed  forward 
in  silent  agony,  yet  still  had  strength  and  resolution 
to  draw  out  the  blade  and  plunge  it  through  his 
neck. 

"Hara-kiri!"  murmured  Yoritomo,  in  a  tone 
of  deepest  respect.  "  He  has  saved  his  family  from 
disgrace  and  punishment.  See!  There  are  two 
others  who  would  do  the  same." 

One  had  been  enough  for  me.  I  turned,  shudder 
ing,  to  pick  my  way  over  the  water-and-blood- 
soaked  bodies  of  the  dead,  in  the  wake  of  the 
slowly  advancing  norimon.  The  rain-squall  was 
blowing  away  as  swiftly  as  it  had  dashed  upon  us. 
With  the  passing  of  the  last  shower,  a  burst  of 
golden  light  from  the  low  western  sun  flooded 
over  the  roof  of  the  yashiki  on  our  left.  At  the 
same  moment  I  heard  the  sound  of  rushing  iron- 
shod  feet.  As  I  flung  up  my  downbent  head  the 
sun-rays  glittered  on  the  wet  silks  and  bared  steel 
of  a  band  of  samurais  that  came  charging  out  of 
the  street  on  the  right. 

"Keiki!"  cried  Yoritomo,  and  clapping  his 
hat  upon  my  head,  he  darted  forward  to  thrust 
a  roll  of  writing  through  the  window  of  the 
norimon,  into  the  lap  of  the  Princess. 

With  my  second  revolver  held  loose  under  the 
[145] 


edge  of  my  robe,  I  sprang  after  him  to  the  side 
of  the  norimon,  as  the  Mi  to  men  swarmed  out  and 
closed  about  the  crippled  cortege.  The  first 
glance  had  shown  them  the  failure  of  their  diabol 
ical  plot.  Utterly  disconcerted  and  bewildered 
by  the  defeat  of  the  ronins,  they  ran  about  like 
wolves  that  have  overshot  the  trail  of  their  quarry. 
The  two  wounded  hatamotos  sought  to  wave  them 
aside,  but  so  many  blocked  the  way  that  our 
party  was  forced  to  halt. 

The  thought  flashed  upon  me  that  they  might 
butcher  every  one  of  us  except  the  Princess,  and 
then  claim  all  the  credit  of  the  rescue.  This  I 
am  certain  would  have  been  the  course  of  action 
of  the  more  hot-blooded  among  them,  had  not 
the  older  men  bethought  themselves  that  they 
could  not  silence  the  Shogun's  daughter.  To 
accomplish  the  object  of  their  plot,  they  must 
bring  her  safe  to  her  father. 

In  the  midst  of  their  flurry  and  confusion,  a 
norimon  came  swaying  around  the  corner  of  the 
side  street  at  a  most  unlordly  speed.  Before  it 
the  excited  samurais  parted  their  ranks,  and  the 
bearers  trotted  across  as  if  to  range  alongside  the 
norimon  of  the  Princess.  Yoritomo  sprang  before 
them  with  barring  sword. 

"Stand!"  he  commanded. 

The  bearers  halted  at  the  word,  but  the  samurais 
burst  into  angry  yells,  and  turned  to  rush  upon 

[146] 


ESCORT    TO    THE    PRINCESS 

the  audacious  priest  who  had  dared  to  oppose 
the  advance  of  their  lord.  A  glance  around  in 
search  for  some  way  of  escape  showed  me  the 
windows  of  the  yashikis  jammed  with  the  heads 
of  out-peering  women  and  the  main  street  full 
of  running  hatamotos  and  samurais.  My  pistol 
shots  had  been  heard  above  the  uproar  of  the 
squall. 

Regardless  of  the  swiftly  gathering  crowd, 
Keiki's  men  pressed  upon  Yoritomo,  with  upraised 
swords.  I  drew  my  revolver  and  stepped  forward 
beside  him,  certain  that  the  end  had  come.  I 
could  not  hope  to  overawe  so  large  a  band  with 
a  few  shots.  Without  doubt  we  would  have  been 
overwhelmed  and  cut  down  within  the  next 
quarter-minute,  had  not  their  master  called  upon 
our  menacing  opponents  to  fall  back. 

The  bearers  of  the  black  norimon  set  down  their 
burden,  and  the  nearest  samurais  sprang  to  remove 
the  top.  The  silk-clad  aristocrat  who  arose  from 
the  depths  of  the  box-like  palanquin  was  younger 
and  even  handsomer  than  Yoritomo,  but  his  eyes, 
between  their  excessively  narrow  lids,  had  a 
shiftiness  that  reminded  me  of  the  treacherous 
Malays. 

Yoritomo  bowed  low  to  him  in  mock  politeness. 

;'Ten  thousand  years  to  the  heir  of  Hitotsu- 
bashi!"  he  said.  "Had  Keiki  Sama  come  sooner, 
he  might  have  aided  the  progress  of  the  Shogun's 

[147] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

daughter,  instead  of  blocking  the  passage  of  the 
august  lady." 

"Seize  that  false  priest!"  commanded  Keiki, 
stung  beyond  self-control. 

But  before  the  eager  samurais  could  spring  in 
upon  him,  Yoritomo  flung  the  priest  robe  from 
his  shoulders,  and  exposed  to  view  the  Tokugawa 
crests  upon  his  silk  haori.  Angry  as  were  the 
Mito  men,  they  stopped  short  at  that  insignia 
of  the  ruling  family. 

Again  Yoritomo  bowed  to  Keiki  and  spoke 
with  biting  sarcasm:  "The  son  of  Owari  dono 
greets  the  son  of  Mito  dono.  It  may  be  possible 
that  Keiki  Sama  is  disappointed  at  having  arrived 
too  late  to  share  in  the  slaying  of  certain  ronins. 
Wounds  have  been  received  by  those  who  defended 
the  august  lady,  but  if  the  heir  of  Hitotsubashi 
will  condescend  to  soil  his  honorable  feet,  proposal 
is  made  that  he  exhibit  his  wide-famed  skill  as 
a  swordsman." 

For  a  moment  I  feared  that  the  fiery  young 
lord  would  snap  at  the  ironical  challenge.  He 
flushed  a  dusky  red  beneath  his  olive  skin  and  glared 
at  my  friend  with  a  malignancy  that  caused  me  to 
raise  and  aim  my  revolver  with  an  instinctive 
movement  such  as  might  have  followed  the  sudden 
uprearing  of  a  venomous  snake.  Had  Keiki  so 
much  as  signed  to  his  retainers,  he  himself  would 
have  been  the  first  to  die.  But  a  gray-bearded 

[148] 


ESCORT    TO    THE    PRINCESS 

counsellor  was  murmuring  quick  words  into  the  ear 
of  his  master.  Keiki's  hate-distorted  features  relaxed 
to  the  blank,  inscrutable  calmness  of  Yoritomo's. 

"  The  heir  of  Hitotsubashi  does  not  pollute 
himself  by  crossing  swords  with  common  street 
brawlers,"  he  answered. 

Yoritomo  smiled  suavely.  "Keiki  Sama  need 
not  fear  to  pollute  his  sword.  Such  of  the  brawlers 
as  have  not  fled  are  all  slain.  Fortunate  is  the 
evil-doer  who  dies  beneath  another's  sword  or 
finds  opportunity  to  commit  hara-kiri.  The  stern 
torturers  rack  the  limbs  of  'criminals  until  they 
confess  all  the  foul  plans  of  themselves  and  their 
accomplices." 

Unable  to  face  my  friend's  challenging  glance, 
Keiki  turned  to  the  wounded  captain  of  Azai's 
guard.  ''Yuki,"  he  called,  "lead  on  again!  My 
cortege  is  at  the  service  of  the  Shogun's  daughter, 
to  escort  her  safe  to  the  inner  castle." 

The  younger  samurai  lady,  who  had  knelt 
beside  the  norimon  of  the  Princess,  whispered 
across  to  the  older  lady.  She  in  turn  bowed  and 
whispered  to  Yuki.  Though  tottering  from  his 
wounds,  the  hatamoto  captain  straightened  and 
replied  to  Keiki  in  a  tone  of  haughty  command: 
"Stand  aside  with  your  men,  lord.  The  daughter 
of  the  Tycoon  is  satisfied  with  the  escort  of  the 
two  priest-clad  champions  who,  single-handed, 
destroyed  the  evil  ronins." 

[149] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

At  this  the  newly  arrived  hatamotos  came 
shouldering  their  way  in  among  the  Mito  men 
with  scant  ceremony,  and  Keiki  hastened  to  give 
the  signal  for  his  retainers  to  fall  back.  Again  the 
bearers  of  the  Princess  started  forward,  with  the 
two  wounded  hatamotos  in  the  lead,  each  sup 
ported  between  a  pair  of  his  fellow-retainers. 
The  others  stationed  themselves  behind,  to  act 
as  rearguard.  Yoritomo  sheathed  his  sword,  and 
placed  himself  before  the  old  samurai  lady,  on 
the  right  side  of  the  norimon.  Following  his 
example,  I  thrust  my  sword  and  revolver  inside 
my  robe,  and  stationed  myself  on  the  left  of  the 
norimon,  in  front  of  the  samurai  girl. 

As  we  advanced  through  the  crowd  of  curious 
onlookers,  I  glanced  about  at  the  baffled  Mito 
men,  who  were  attempting  to  "save  the  face" 
of  their  lord  by  forming  about  his  norimon  in 
the  usual  stately  cortege.  Chancing  to  catch 
the  eager  gaze  of  the  samurai  girl,  I  smiled  and 
nodded.  Encouraged  by  my  condescension  to 
venture  a  like  breach  of  etiquette,  she  bowed  low, 
and  murmured,  with  a  soft  laugh:  "August  lord! 
pardon  the  rudeness  of  Setsu!" 

"O  Setsu  San  is  free  to  speak,"  I  said. 

'Ten  thousand  years  of  happy  life  to  my  lord!" 
she  murmured.  "Again  pardon  the  inexcusable 
rudeness,  —  but  the  awesome  face  of  my  lord 
has  been  seen  by  august  eyes.  Should  report  be 

[150] 


ESCORT    TO    THE    PRINCESS 

made  that  my  lord  is  to  be  numbered  among  the 
kami?  —  or  is  he  a  tojin  sama?" 

"A  daimio  of  the  tojin,  come  to  aid  Dai  Nippon 
with  sword  and  counsel,"  I  answered. 

She  bowed  low,  with  a  gentle  insucking  of  breath, 
and  fell  silent.  But  as  I  sauntered  along  beside 
the  slowly  moving  norimon,  I  caught  glimpses 
of  a  pair  of  soft  black  eyes  peering  at  me  through 
the  fringe  of  the  window  curtain.  There  could 
be  no  doubt  that  the  Shogun's  daughter  was  study 
ing  such  of  my  face  as  showed  below  the  hat  brim. 
The  thought  that  she  might  be  seeking  to  accustom 
herself  to  the  "demon"  eyes  of  the  tojin  set  me 
aglow  with  blissful  anticipations.  But  my  amor 
ous  fancies  quickly  gave  place  to  hot  shame 
at  the  remembrance  that  the  gentle  little  princess 
was  the  betrothed  of  my  friend. 

Our  slow  advance  at  last  brought  us  up  on  the 
causeway,  across  the  lake-like  moat  from  the 
cyclopean  wall  and  gate.  The  passage  had  been 
made  through  the  midst  of  a  multitude,  drawn  in 
rapidly  increasing  numbers  by  wild  rumors  of 
the  fight.  The  causeway  swarmed  with  hundreds 
of  samurais,  who  stared  at  Yoritomo  and  myself 
in  respectful  silence. 

A  company  of  the  hatamotos  in  charge  of  the 
great  gate  had  advanced  across  the  bridge  to 
meet  the  Princess.  Near  the  foot  of  the  bridge 
Yoritomo  signed  me  to  stop.  We  stepped  back 

[151] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

while    the    norimon    and    those    who    followed    it 
passed  on  between. 

A  venerable  samurai  wearing  the  circled  cross 
of  Satsuma  saluted  Yoritomo  and  pointed  west 
ward  to  the  gate  of  one  of  the  nearer  yashikis. 

"Shimadzu  Satsuma-no-kami  sends  greeting  to 
Yoritomo  Sama,  the  heroic  son  of  Owari  dono, 
and  to  his  heroic  companion!"  he  said.  "Will 
they  honor  the  house  of  Shimadzu  by  entering 
and  refreshing  themselves?" 

"  Return  our  greetings  and  thanks  to  the  Daimio 
of  Satsuma,"  replied  Yoritomo.  "We  hope  soon 
to  visit  Shimadzu  Sama,  but  now  we  have  come 
from  a  long  journey,  and  must  hasten  to  salute 
my  father." 

:'The  son  of  Owari  dono  is  wounded,"  suggested 
the  samurai. 

"A  wound  received  in  a  good  cause  bears  no 
sting,"  replied  my  friend  with  a  Confucian  sen- 
tentiousness  that  drew  an  appreciative  murmur 
from  the  crowd.  He  waved  aside  the  old 
samurai  with  a  courteous  gesture,  and  crossed 
to  me.  "Come,  brother,  we  must  be  on  our  way. 
The  sun  is  low,  and  we  have  no  lanterns." 

The  samurai  again  hastened  around  before  him 
and  bent  low.  "Fearing  that  Yoritomo  Sama 
might  be  unable  to  linger  for  a  call,  my  lord  took 
the  liberty  to  send  norimons  for  the  conveyance 
of  the  son  of  Owari  dono  and  his  companion." 

[152] 


ESCORT    TO    THE    PRINCESS 

"The  gracious  offer  of  Shimadzu,  the  Daimio 
of  Satsuma,  is  accepted  with  grateful  thanks," 
responded  Yoritomo. 

At  a  sign  from  the  samurai,  two  red-lacquered 
norimons  were  borne  forward  through  the  crowd, 
and  their  doors  opened  for  us  to  enter.  Calling 
to  mind  Yoritomo's  instructions  I  slipped  off  my 
sandals  and  squeezed  into  one  of  the  narrow  boxes. 
Once  inside,  I  crouched  down  on  knees  and  heels 
in  quite  the  correct  manner,  though  I  caught  a 
murmur  of  politely  smothered  surprise  at  my 
failure  to  remove  my  hat. 

A  half-minute  later  our  palanquins  were  swing 
ing  westward  along  the  walled  edge  of  the  moat, 
an  escort  of  Satsuma  samurais  in  van  and  rear, 
and  the  old  leader  in  attendance  beside  Yoritomo's 
norimon. 


[153] 


CHAPTER  XIII  -  -  THE  PRINCE  OF  OWARI 

OUR    trip    through    the  daimio  quarter 
must   have   covered    two    miles    and 
more.     Though    closely    cramped   in 
my     elegant    box,     I     managed    by 
stooping   over   to   peer   out  through 
the  bamboo  fringe   of   the   windows.     For   some 
time  we  had  on  our  left  the  walls  of  large  yashikis 
and  on  our  right  the  beautiful  lotus-covered  moat- 
lake,  with  the  lofty  rampart  of  the  citadel  across. 
The  sun  sank  beneath  the  horizon  as  we  turned 
westward  down  a  wide  thoroughfare. 

Presently  we  turned  again,  and  passed  zigzag 
from  one  street  to  another  between  silent  yashikis. 
The  buildings  were  lighted  only  by  quaint  street 
lanterns  hung  beside  their  heavy  gateways  and 
by  the  dim  glow  of  candles  through  the  white 
paper  screens  of  the  windows.  The  few  people 
passing  along  these  aristocratic  streets  were  pro 
vided  against  the  gathering  darkness  by  cylindrical 
lanterns  marked  with  the  crests  of  various  daimios. 
At  last  we  came  to  one  of  the  bastioned  gateways 
of  the  outer  moat,  and,  after  a  brief  parley  with 
the  guard,  passed  through  and  out  across  the 
bridge.  Shortly  beyond,  our  escort  halted  before 

[154] 


THE    PRINCE    OF    OWARI 

a  grand  double-roofed  gateway.  We  had  arrived 
at  the  main  entrance  to  the  largest  of  the  yashikis 
belonging  to  the  Prince  of  Owari. 

While  our  bearers  carried  us  across  the  stone 
bridge  of  the  moat-ditch  into  the  lighted  space 
before  the  huge  copper-faced  gates,  the  old  samurai 
leader  announced  us  to  the  warden  or  captain 
of  the  gate.  Almost  instantly  the  ponderous 
leaves  of  the  gate  swung  open  before  us,  and  a 
dozen  Owari  samurais  hastened  out  to  open  the 
norimons  and  salute  their  occupants. 

Yoritomo  met  their  smiles  and  kowtowings  and 
noisy  insuckings  of  breath  with  an  austere  dignity 
that  I  took  pains  to  imitate.  But  to  my  surprise, 
he  accepted  a  pair  of  the  lacquered  clogs  that  were 
brought  for  us,  and  proceeded  to  leave  his  norimon. 
Catching  my  look,  he  explained  in  English:  "I 
am  yet  to  be  made  heir,  and  as  a  younger  son  I 
lack  the  rank  required  of  one  permitted  to  ride 
in  through  the  gateway." 

"Your  rank  is  known,"  I  replied.  "Mine  is 
yet  to  be  established.  I  will  make  a  start  here 
and  now.  You  know  that  in  my  country  there 
is  no  man  of  better  blood  than  myself.  I  will 
not  enter  your  father's  gateway  except  in  my 
norimon" 

:<  You  are  right.  The  point  is  shrewdly  taken,"  he 
assented,  and  he  spoke  gravely  to  the  gate  warden. 

The  retainer  accepted  the  statement  of  his 
[155] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

master's  son  without  a  trace  of  hesitancy,  and  I 
was  carried  in  beneath  the  carved  and  lacquered 
crossbeams  of  the  gateway  with  Yoritomo  walk 
ing  beside  my  norimon.  The  iron-shod  sandals 
of  samurais  and  bearers  clattered  on  the  stone 
flags  of  the  broad  courtyard  within  the  gate. 

Crossing  this  court,  we  passed  up  a  slope  and 
through  an  ornamental  fence,  into  a  second  court 
before  the  mansion  of  the  prince.  Wings  and  high 
hedges  flanked  the  main  building  in  such  manner 
that  we  could  have  seen  nothing  of  the  yashiki 
gardens  even  had  the  day  still  lingered.  I  was, 
however,  more  than  satisfied  by  the  fairy-like 
vision  of  the  palace.  Though  the  building  was 
of  only  one  story,  the  white-tiled  roof  flung  up 
its  twisted  gables  against  the  blue-black  sky  with 
an  effect  of  airy  height,  while  the  rows  of  lanterns, 
hung  to  the  outcurving  eaves,  shed  their  soft 
glow  over  the  artistic  balustrades  and  polished 
planking  of  verandas  wider  than  those  of  Zozoji. 

In  the  centre  of  the  fagade  was  a  grand  portico 
of  keyaki  wood,  supported  by  carved  beams  and 
pillars  lacquered  in  vivid  colors.  Young  pages 
came  out  to  salute  us  and  spread  mats  for  us  to 
step  upon.  I  emerged  from  my  norimon.  Yori 
tomo  returned  our  thanks  to  the  old  samurai  for 
the  courtesy  of  Satsuma,  and  stepped  from  his 
clogs  onto  the  mats  beside  me  as  the  bearers  and 
escort  turned  back  to  the  gate. 

[156] 


THE    PRINCE    OF    OWARI 

An  elderly  chamberlain  in  richest  costume 
appeared  from  within  and  kowtowed  before  us. 
Mindful  of  my  lessons  in  etiquette,  I  drew  out 
my  sheathed  sword  and  handed  it  to  the  official  as 
he  rose.  He  took  the  priceless  weapon  reverently 
and  raised  it  to  his  forehead  before  giving  it  into 
the  keeping  of  one  of  the  pages.  Yoritomo 
handed  his  own  sword  to  a  second  page,  and 
addressed  the  chamberlain  curtly:  "Let  my  august 
father  be  informed  of  our  arrival,  Fujimaro." 

"By  what  name  shall  I  announce  my  lord's 
companion?"  asked  the  chamberlain. 

"Announce  my  friend  as  one  entitled  to  sit 
at  the  left  hand  of  the  Prince  of  Owari." 

Fujimaro  bowed  us  into  the  keeping  of  a  second 
chamberlain,  and  slipped  noiselessly  away  over 
the  white  mats.  The  newcomer  kowtowed,  and, 
at  a  word  from  Yoritomo,  conducted  us  in  through 
a  vestibule  lined  with  halberds,  lances,  archers' 
equipage,  armor,  and  battle-axes,  to  a  dim-lit 
passage.  The  pages  with  our  swords  followed  at 
a  respectful  distance. 

Two  or  three  turns  brought  us  to  the  brightly 
illuminated  dressing-room  of  a  bath.  As  we  entered 
several  attendants  saluted  and  began  waiting 
on  us,  rising  from  their  knees  only  when  necessary. 
When  my  hat  was  removed,  one  man  gave  a 
gasp  of  amazement.  Otherwise  all  preserved  their 
bland  smiles  throughout  my  disrobing,  too  well 

[157] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

trained  to  venture  any  comments  upon  my  "snow 
white"  skin. 

But  etiquette  did  not  prevent  them  from  utter 
ing  soft  exclamations  of  grief  and  pity  when  the 
removal  of  Yoritomo's  dress  disclosed  a  deep 
cut  across  his  shoulder  blade.  Though  no  longer 
bleeding,  the  wound  gaped  open  to  the  bone. 
Yet  with  Spartan  fortitude  Yoritomo  silenced 
their  cries  and  ordered  them  to  proceed  with  me. 
When,  in  turn,  he  had  received  his  cold  rub  and 
hot  immersion,  he  at  last  permitted  the  chamber 
lain  to  bind  up  the  wound  with  moistened  strips 
of  the  tough  Japanese  paper. 

Blind  shampooers  reinvigorated  our  muscles  with 
their  skilful  rubbing;  other  attendants  shaved  us, 
dressed  our  hair,  and  attired  us  in  gorgeous  cere 
monial  costume,  including  white  silk  socks  and 
the  gauze-winged  jackets  called  kamishimos.  Last 
of  all  our  dirks  were  thrust  into  our  girdles  and 
my  revolvers  and  cartridges  placed  on  a  red 
lacquer  tray  to  be  carried  after  us  with  our  swords. 

Fujimaro  appeared  to  conduct  us  into  the 
presence  of  the  Prince.  We  followed  him  through 
well-lighted  corridors,  flanked  by  rooms  varying 
in  size  but  all  alike  in  their  silk-bordered  mats, 
the  beautiful  pictures  on  their  lacquer-rimmed 
wall-screens,  and  the  artistic  fretwork  in  the  space 
between  the  lintel-beams  and  the  ceiling.  Through 
out  the  palace  the  woodwork  was  in  natural 

[158] 


THE    PRINCE    OF    OWARI 

finish,  without  paint  or  varnish,  yet  polished 
until  the  exquisitely  grained  surface  shimmered 
like  watered  silk. 

At  the  anteroom  of  the  daimws  hall  of  audience 
two  more  chamberlains  kowtowed  and  ushered 
us  forward.  At  the  head  of  the  room  there  was 
an  impressive  pause.  The  chamberlains  could 
not  have  looked  more  solemn  had  they  been 
ushering  us  into  the  presence  of  the  Shogun  himself. 
The  screens  before  us  drew  noiselessly  aside  and 
disclosed  a  chamber  somewhat  larger  than  the 
anteroom  and  a  slight  step  higher. 

The  chamberlains  kowtowed  at  the  threshold 
and  crept  forward  on  their  knees.  We  followed, 
erect.  To  our  left,  midw^ay  up  the  room,  knelt 
six  dignified  samurai  counsellors.  The  Daimio 
awaited  us,  seated  Turk  fashion  upon  a  low  dais 
before  a  lacquer-walled  tokonoma.  So  far  as  I 
could  judge  of  his  figure  within  the  loose  robes, 
he  was  tall  and  slender.  He  wore  a  small  beard 
and  mustache  whose  snowy  whiteness  contrasted 
with  his  tall  black  bag-like  cap  of  cobwebby  tissue. 
His  long  face  had  a  stern  and  saturnine  expression 
and  he  bore  himself  with  austere  stateliness. 

As  the  chamberlains  neared  the  dais,  they 
kowtowed  and  drew  to  one  side.  We  advanced 
and  knelt,  and  Yoritomo  kowtowed.  Resolved 
to  maintain  equality  with  the  Prince,  I  went  no 
further  than  a  low  bow.  As  I  straightened,  the 

[  159  1 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Prince  gazed  keenly  into  my  blue  eyes,  and  after 
a  moment's  pause  returned  my  bow.  I  was 
received  as  a  daimio  of  the  first  class ! 

The  kneeling  chamberlains  waved  me  to  the 
cushion  on  the  left  of  the  Prince  and  Yoritomo 
to  the  cushion  on  his  right.  Our  sword-bearers 
slid  around  to  the  tokonoma  and  placed  our  swords 
upon  the  rack  of  honor  below  the  Prince's  glitter 
ing  gold-mounted  helmet  and  armor.  At  a  sign 
from  the  Prince,  the  page  bearing  my  revolvers 
and  cartridges  set  his  tray  before  us. 

The  solemn  silence  which  had  prevailed  since 
our  entrance  continued  while  attendants  glided 
in  with  sweetmeats  and  a  toy-like  tea  service 
of  egg-shell  china.  When  we  had  been  served, 
the  Daimio  signed  all  the  retainers  except  his 
counsellors  to  withdraw,  and  broke  the  silence 
by  politely  inquiring  my  name,  age,  and  family. 

"My  father's  guest  is  Adamisu  Woroto  Sama," 
answered  Yoritomo  for  me.  "He  is  a  daimio 
of  the  great  tojin  people  whose  land  is  called 
America.  His  age  is  the  same  as  my  own.  In 
all  America  there  is  no  family  of  higher  blood 
than  the  family  of  my  friend  and  benefactor. 
He  held  honorable  rank  under  the  Government 
of  America,  but  laid  aside  office,  and  has  come 
with  me  to  aid  Dai  Nippon." 

The  Prince  looked  across  to  the  group  of  coun 
sellors,  and  the  aged  karo,  or  chief  counsellor, 

[160] 


THE    PRINCE    OF    OWARI 

responded  to  the  wordless  inquiry  without  moving. 

"My  lord,  in  the  Legacy  of  lyeyasu  it  is  for 
bidden  to  harbor  a  tojin.  According  to  the 
ancient  edict,  all  Christians  shall  be  imprisoned 
in  the  common  jail." 

"August  Prince  and  father,"  said  Yoritomo, 
"the  Legacy  of  lyeyasu  also  forbids  that  any  man 
shall  leave  the  shores  of  Nippon,  under  penalty 
of  crucifixion.  Your  son  has  travelled  beyond  the 
shores  of  Nippon;  he  has  traversed  the  five  con 
tinents,  and  proved  the  truth  of  the  Dutch  learn 
ing  by  sailing  around  the  vast  circuit  of  the  world." 

"My  lord,"  said  the  karo,  "the  wording  of  the 
edict  is  explicit.  Death  is  decreed  against  whom 
soever  shall  presume  to  intercede  for  the  life  of 
a  man  returned  from  beyond  the  seas.  Men  of 
low  class  —  fishermen  —  have  been  received  back 
from  tojin  ships  and  forgiven  their  unintended 
crime.  But  according  to  his  own  words,  Yoritomo 
Sama  left  the  shore  of  Nippon  with  intent  to 
contravene  the  ancient  edict  by  bringing  back 
the  knowledge  of  the  tojins.  My  lord,  the  enforce 
ment  of  the  laws  has  been  lax  in  recent  years; 
there  has  been  much  blinking  at  the  study  of  the 
Dutch  learning.  Yet  the  laws  stand  ready  for 
enforcement  against  my  lord  and  Yoritomo  Sama 
and  the  honorable  guest,  should  enemies  of  my 
lord  make  demand  upon  Midzuano  Echizen-no- 
kami,  chief  of  the  Elder  Council." 

[161] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"A  petition  for  a  hearing  has  already  gone 
to  the  Household  in  the  norimon  of  the  Princess 
Azai,"  replied  Yoritomo,  and  without  naming 
Kohana,  he  told  succinctly  how  we  had  discovered 
and  defeated  the  Mito  plot. 

The  Daimio  and  his  counsellors  listened  through 
out  with  an  impassiveness  of  manner  which  I 
should  have  mistaken  for  indifference  had  I  not 
been  near  enough  to  see  the  glow  in  the  jet 
eyes  of  the  Prince.  At  the  end  of  the  account 
the  great  man  murmured  his  comments  in  a  voice 
that  vibrated  with  suppressed  exultance: 

"In  all  that  you  have  done,  my  son,  I  see  the 
guidance  of  the  gods  and  of  the  spirits  of  our 
forefathers.  The  Mito  men  walk  with  faces  over 
their  shoulders,  looking  to  the  past,  and  with 
ears  closed  against  all  reports  of  the  disasters 
brought  upon  the  Chinese  by  a  like  frog-in-the- 
well  policy.  The  true  cause  of  the  Mikado  owes 
much  to  your  service  and  the  service  of  this  noble 
tojin  sama." 

"I  have  broken  the  law;  I  have  brought  danger 
upon  the  House  of  Owari,"  said  Yoritomo.  "I 
alone  should  receive  punishment,  and  not  my 
family.  Shall  it  be  hara-kiri,  or  shall  I  strip  off 
the  Tokugawa  crest,  and  as  a  ronin  seek  to  accom 
plish  my  mission,  aided  only  by  my  tojin  brother?" 

His  father  looked  across  at  the  counsellors, 
and  the  old  karo  responded  without  a  moment's 

[162] 


THE    PRINCE    OF    OWARI 

hesitancy:  "Yoritomo  Sama  has  in  truth  been 
guided  by  the  ancestral  spirits  of  Owari.  Chief 
and  clan  should  stand  or  fall  in  the  support  of 
the  heir  of  Owari." 

"Heir?"  murmured  Yoritomo.  "Such,  then, 
is  the  truth!" 

'Trusted  men  have  been  making  secret  search 
for  you  throughout  Nippon,"  answered  the  Prince. 
"For  a  month  your  elder  brother  has  lain  sick 
beyond  hope  of  recovery.  His  son  is  yet  a  child. 
The  strong  man  has  come  to  succeed  the  sick 
heir.  To-morrow  the  death  of  your  brother  will 
be  announced." 

To  give  way  to  grief  in  the  presence  of  a  superior 
is  a  most  serious  breach  of  Japanese  etiquette. 
The  graver  the  grief  or  pain,  the  more  pronounced 
the  smile  of  the  sufferer.  Yoritomo  uttered  a 
soft  laugh,  and  immediately  turned  the  conversa 
tion  to  a  less  painful  subject. 

"My  lord,"  he  said,  "I  have  told  how  Woroto 
Sama  received  me  aboard  the  black  ship,  and 
how  he  proved  himself  the  generous  friend  and 
brother  of  the  stranger.  We  believe  the  saying 
that  the  spirits  of  our  ancestors  are  ever  about 
us.  Here  is  proof.  Only  a  day  past  Woroto  Sama 
informed  me  that  he  is  a  descendant  of  Anjin 
Sama." 

"Of  Anjin  Sama!"  repeated  the  Prince,  even 
his  austere  reserve  shaken  by  the  statement. 

[163] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

I  bowed  to  mask  my  curiosity.  The  news  of 
my  ancestry  could  not  be  other  than  interesting 
to  any  one  acquainted  with  the  romantic  history 
of  Will  Adams.  But  why  should  the  announce 
ment  to  this  Oriental  prince  create  such  a  sensation? 

He  looked  at  me  with  a  slight  smile,  and  asked 
his  son:  "Does  Woroto  Sama  know?" 

"He  has  yet  to  be  informed,  my  lord." 

The  Prince  turned  to  his  karo:  "What  is  written 
in  the  records  of  Owari  regarding  Anjin  Sama, 
the  tojin  counsellor  of  Minamoto  lyeyasu?" 

"My  lord,  it  is  written  that  the  fourth  Daimio 
of  Owari  took  to  wife  the  daughter  of  Satsuma- 
no-kami's  brother  Nagato.  The  wife  of  Nagato 
was  the  daughter  of  Anjin  Sama's  grandson." 

The  saturnine  face  of  the  Prince  relaxed  in  a 
kindly  smile,  and  Yoritomo  bowed  to  me  in  grave 
salute.  "My  brother  now  sees  that  it  was  immut 
able  Fate  which  drew  us  together  in  the  bonds  of 
friendship.  We  are  blood  kinsmen." 

Accustomed  as  are  we  of  the  South  to  trace  out 
the  ties  of  family  through  all  its  ramifications, 
I  was  astonished  at  this  recognition  of  cousinship 
through  so  remote  an  ancestor,  especially  as  I 
knew  the  Japanese  hold  strictly  to  the  male  line. 
But  if  the  princely  House  of  Owari  was  inclined 
to  receive  me  as  a  member  of  the  clan  and  family, 
it  was  not  for  me  to  repudiate  the  connection. 

The  Daimio  spoke  to  the  counsellors:  ''The 
[164] 


THE    PRINCE    OF    OWARI 

/ 

heir  of  the  Prince  of  Owari  is  entitled  to  present 
his  memorial  direct  to  the  Shogun.  See  that 
Yoritomo  Sama  is  registered  at  Zozoji,  in  the  place 
of  his  elder  brother,  who  is  about  to  go  from  us." 

The  counsellors  kowtowed,  and  glided  from  the 
room.  Yoritomo  addressed  his  father,  with  a 
shade  of  anxiety  beneath  his  smile:  "My  lord,  I 
cannot  go  before  the  Shogun  during  my  time  of 
mourning.  Yet  the  black  ships  may  come  any 
day." 

"Prepare  the  memorial.  I  myself  will  present 
it  to  the  Shogun  in  private  audience,"  replied 
the  Prince. 

One  of  the  screens  of  the  side  wall  slipped  open, 
and  there  entered  a  slender  little  old  lady  in  dove- 
colored  silk.  She  was  the  first  aged  woman  I  had 
yet  seen  in  Japan  whose  features  retained  a  share 
of  youthful  beauty.  Her  face  was  as  exquisitely 
refined  and  almost  as  fair  as  that  of  the  Shogun's 
daughter,  while  her  teeth,  owing  either  to  greater 
skill  in  the  application  or  to  better  dye,  were  of 
a  glossy  black  not  altogether  unpleasing  even  to 
my  Occidental  ideas  of  attractiveness. 

Softly  as  a  thistledown,  she  drifted  across  the 
mats  and  knelt  before  Yoritomo,  her  lips  parted  in 
a  smile  that  went  far  beyond  the  demands  of 
etiquette.  Tears  of  joy  glided  down  her  soft 
cheeks,  and  in  her  eyes  was  a  look  of  mother  love 
and  devotion  that  made  all  clear  to  me.  No  less 

[165] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

deep  and  overpowering  was  Yoritomo's  joy  at 
sight  of  his  mother;  his  tears  flowed  quite  as 
freely.  Yet  there  followed  no  outburst  of  caressing 
words,  no  kisses  and  fond  embraces.  Weeping 
and  smiling  in  decorous  quiet,  they  kowtowed 
to  one  another  and  murmured  formal  words  of 
greeting. 

In  the  midst  Yoritomo  composed  himself  to 
introduce  me  as  his  friend  and  benefactor  and  a 
distant  kinsman  of  the  family.  She  welcomed 
me  with  exquisite  courtesy.  A  samurai  girl 
appeared  with  a  light  refreshment  of  tea,  and  rice- 
cakes  covered  with  a  sauce  of  red  beans  and 
sugar.  This  the  Princess  served  to  us  herself, 
with  a  daintiness  that  would  have  drawn  from  me 
more  than  one  compliment  had  I  not  been*  aware 
that  my  fine  phrases  would  have  been  considered 
an  outrageous  breach  of  etiquette. 

When  the  little  lady  had  withdrawn  with  her 
assistant,  the  Prince  unbent  entirely  from  his 
austere  reserve,  and  in  a  most  genial  manner 
showered  upon  me  a  hundred  and  one  politely 
personal  inquiries  as  to  my  opinions  and  ideas. 
Behind  the  mask  of  solemn  state  I  found  him  a 
gentleman  as  cordial  as  he  was  dignified,  and  as 
kindly  disposed  as  he  was  noble  minded. 

Returning  to  the  fight  with  the  ronins,  he  spoke 
wonderingly  of  my  audacious  resort  to  firearms 
within  the  bounds  of  Yedo,  and  insisted  that  I 

[166] 


THE    PRINCE    OF    OWARI 

should  show  him  the  action  of  my  revolvers. 
The  weapons  greatly  pleased  him,  and  he  obtained 
my  promise  to  fire  them  the  next  day  in  one  of 
the  archery  walks  of  the  yashiki. 

After  this,  mindful  of  our  need  of  rest,  he  touched 
a  small  gong,  and  ordered  the  chamberlain  Fuji- 
maro,  who  responded,  to  conduct  me  to  apart 
ments  occupying  one  of  the  wings  of  the  palace. 


[167] 


CHAPTER  XIV  -  -  BEFORE  THE  SHOGUN 

FOR  several  days  I  lived  in  strict  seclusion. 
A    semi-detached    wing    of    the    palace, 
surrounded  by  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
of    the    landscape    gardens    within    the 
yashiki,  had  been  set  apart  for  my  use. 
All  my  wants  were  attended  to  by  a  faultlessly 
polite  corps  of  retainers  and  servants. 

Fujimaro  the  chamberlain  acted  as  my  major- 
domo  and  incidentally  as  my  instructor  in  language 
and  etiquette.  Much  as  I  had  derived  both 
consciously  and  unconsciously  from  my  intimacy 
with  Yoritomo,  I  soon  found  that  I  had  made 
no  more  than  a  fair  beginning  in  the  intricacies 
and  niceties  of  one  of  the  most  difficult  of  languages 
and  of  the  most  complicated  of  all  existing  codes 
of  etiquette,  that  of  China  not  excepted. 

My  teacher  proved  to  be  invariably  cordial  and 
interested,  but  no  less  invariably  formal  and  pre 
cise  in  his  demeanor  towards  the  tojin  daimio. 
The  Prince,  who  came  to  walk  with  me  in  the 
garden  each  day,  was  still  more  formal  whenever 
any  of  his  retainers  were  present.  At  other  times, 
as  when  I  showed  him  a  little  pistol  practice 
in  the  seclusion  of  a  rockery,  he  unbent  to  me  as 

[168] 


BEFORE    THE    SHOGUN 

to  a  peer,  always  faultlessly  polite  and  dignified 
yet  flatteringly  attentive  to  my  conversation. 

During  this  time  I  saw  nothing  of  his  wife,  the 
quaintly  beautiful  little  lady  Tokiwa  Sama.  The 
family  life  of  the  Japanese  nobility  is  extremely 
private,  even  as  regards  relatives.  Yoritomo  found 
time  to  pay  me  only  one  brief  visit.  He  was 
dressed  in  white,  the  Japanese  mourning,  and  was 
greatly  worn  by  his  labor  in  preparing  his  memorial 
to  the  Shogun  during  the  nights  and  his  daytime 
duties  as  chief  mourner  for  his  brother. 

Japanese  etiquette  does  not  permit  the  official 
mourning  of  parents  for  children.  Upon  Yoritomo 
had  fallen  the  sorrowful  task  of  receiving  the 
family  friends  at  the  bier  of  his  brother  and  of 
attending  to  all  the  Buddhistic  and  Shinto  funeral 
rites.  The  day  after  our  arrival  the  death  of 
his  brother  had  been  officially  announced,  and 
the  corpse,  which  had  been  embalmed  in  vermilion 
for  a  month  past,  was  mourned  over  for  the 
prescribed  number  of  days  before  the  interment 
in  one  of  the  cemeteries  at  Shiba. 

In  the  meantime  my  friend  had  completed  a 
summary  of  the  knowledge  he  had  acquired 
regarding  the  outer  world,  and  the  new  foreign 
policy  to  which  that  knowledge  pointed.  He 
was  now  writing  the  full  report  and  memorial, 
while  his  father,  who  had  already  smuggled  the 
summary  into  the  Castle,  was  intriguing  for 

[169] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

permission  to  present  the  memorial  direct  to 
the  Shogun,  unknown  to  Midzuano  and  the  other 
members  of  the  Council  of  Elders. 

As  the  Council  was  secretly  pledged  to  the 
Mito  faction,  it  was  necessary  for  us  to  obtain 
an  unprejudiced  hearing  from  the  Shogun.  Delay 
was  dangerous,  since  at  any  moment  Keiki  might 
invoke  the  ancient  laws  against  us,  or  the  inoppor 
tune  arrival  of  the  American  expedition  might 
checkmate  our  purpose  by  throwing  the  Govern 
ment  into  an  irrevocably  hostile  attitude  towards 
the  foreigners  and  ourselves. 

Weary  of  inaction,  I  welcomed  a  message  from 
the  Prince  requesting  me  to  join  him  on  an  informal 
visit.  Where  we  were  to  go  was  not  stated, 
but  I  accepted  the  invitation  on  the  instant,  and 
asked  no  questions.  My  attendants  dressed  me 
with  utmost  care,  in  rich  though  sober-colored 
garments,  and  I  noticed  that  a  ceremonial  winged 
jacket,  or  kamishimo,  of  hemp-cloth  was  laid  in 
a  lacquered  case  to  be  carried  along. 

When,  shortly  after  midday,  I  was  led  through 
the  palace  to  the  state  portico,  I  found  that  the 
Prince  had  already  entered  his  norimon,  and  was 
being  borne  away  in  the  midst  of  his  slow-moving 
cortege.  I  stepped  into  my  norimon  and  was  borne 
after  him,  Fujimaro  and  other  officials  walking 
beside  me.  My  led-horse  and  grooms,  my  two- 
sword  men,  and  the  bearers  of  my  state  umbrella, 

[170] 


BEFORE    THE    SHOGUN 

hat,  fan,  and  all  the  other  ceremonial  parapher 
nalia  of  a  daimio,  were  strung  out  before  or 
behind  me. 

Upon  issuing  from  the  yashiki,  we  did  not  cross 
the  outer  moat  at  the  nearest  bridge,  but  skirted 
southward  along  it  to  the  Yotsuya  Gate,  which 
opens  into  the  great  Kojimachi  Street.  Up  Koji- 
machi  we  swung  at  a  pace  far  brisker  than  dignity 
would  have  permitted  had  not  the  absence  of 
ceremonial  standards  indicated  that  we  were 
travelling  naibun.  The  incognito  of  the  Prince, 
however,  was  no  more  than  a  conventional  fiction, 
since  his  cortege  was  immediately  recognized 
by  every  man  in  the  throngs  of  samurais  that 
passed  us  within  the  official  quarter. 

Gazing  out  through  my  curtains,  I  caught  the 
politely  veiled  glances  with  which  the  two-sword 
men  regarded  our  cortege.  The  intensity  of 
party  feeling  among  them  was  evident  from  the 
total  absence  of  indifference.  There  was  not 
one  who  failed  to  show  indications  of  either  warm 
friendship  or  bitter  hatred.  This  was  no  less  true 
of  the  helmetted  riders  we  met.  Some  rode  by 
with  the  heads  of  their  barbed  and  grotesquely 
caparisoned  horses  curved  high  and  the  huge 
slipper  stirrups  of  the  high-peaked  saddles  thrust 
out  aggressively.  Others  courteously  swerved 
to  the  far  side  of  the  street,  and  a  few  even  dis 
mounted,  despite  our  conventional  incognito. 

[171] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

A  mile  along  the  Kojimachi  Street  brought  us 
to  the  moat  of  the  citadel.  I  expected  our  cortege 
to  turn  to  the  right  into  the  great  causeway  and 
skirt  the  moat  towards  the  Sakaruda  Gate  where 
Yoritomo  and  I  had  parted  from  the  cortege 
of  the  Princess  Azai.  Instead,  our  escort  led 
straight  on  across  the  bridge  that  headed  the 
street.  The  thought  flashed  upon  me  that  we 
were  about  to  enter  the  Shogun's  sacred  enclosure 
and  call  upon  one  of  the  high  officials  of  the 
Household. 

On  either  side  I  looked  down  over  the  waters 
of  the  beautiful  moat,  among  whose  blue-green 
lotus  pads  swarmed  ducks  and  geese,  swans, 
ibises,  storks,  and  cranes.  The  outer  bank  rose 
to  the  causeway  in  a  steep  grassy  slope,  set  with 
wide-spreading  oaks  and  pines.  Nearing  the  far 
side,  I  studied  at  close  view  the  granite  blocks 
of  the  citadel  wall,  many  of  which  measured  at 
least  four  feet  by  sixteen.  They  were  neatly 
fitted  together  without  mortar  or  iron  cramps, 
and  showed  no  crevices  or  displacements  from  the 
earthquakes  of  three  centuries. 

At  the  head  of  the  bridge  our  cortege  halted, 
and  Fujimaro  informed  me  that  I  was  to  alight. 
The  Prince,  as  the  head  of  one  of  the  August 
Three  Families,  was  entitled  to  ride  in  through 
this  lesser  gate,  but  no  other  daimio  could  be 
accorded  the  privilege. 

[172] 


BEFORE    THE    SHOGUN 

"Very  well,"  I  replied,  determined  to  make  a 
test  of  the  matter.  "Let  the  Prince  of  Ovvari 
proceed.  I  will  wait  his  return  here." 

"Impossible,  my  lord!"  exclaimed  the  chamber 
lain. 

''Then  take  me  back  to  the  yashild"  I  demanded. 
''The  Prince  was  pleased  to  receive  me  as  a  daimio 
of  rank  equal  to  his  own.  I  will  enter  the  citadel 
in  the  same  manner  that  he  enters,  or  not  at  all." 

This  was  a  bold  stand  for  a  foreigner  whose  very 
presence  in  Japan  was  against  the  ancient  laws. 
But  my  natural  disposition  to  insist  upon  a  correct 
valuation  of  my  dignity  was  backed  by  a  careful 
consideration  of  Japanese  manners  and  customs. 
As  an  American  gentleman,  I  had  the  right  to 
rank  myself  as  an  equal  to  any  one  beneath  the 
ruler  of  the  country.  To  accept  a  lower  station 
would  result  in  humiliations  that  I  was  not  dis 
posed  to  suffer,  either  from  white  men  or  brown. 

There  followed  a  prolonged  conference  between 
the  captain  of  the  gate,  the  chamberlain,  and 
the  Prince,  during  which  Fujimaro  twice  came 
back  and  begged  me  to  change  my  determination. 
I  refused.  The  gate  captain  in  turn  refused  to 
admit  the  unknown  occupant  of  the  second  norimon 
other  than  on  foot.  The  deadlock  that  followed 
was  broken  by  the  appearance  of  a  hatamoto 
whom  I  at  once  recognized  as  the  only  member 
of  the  Princess's  guard,  except  the  leader,  that 

[173] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

had  survived  the  attack  of  the  ronins.  His  dress 
indicated  that  he  had  been  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  court  chamberlain.  He  had  come  to  conduct 
us  into  the  citadel,  and  at  a  word  from  him,  the 
obstinate  gate  captain  yielded  his  will  to  mine. 

We  moved  forward  beneath  the  huge  ancient 
gateway  into  a  small  court  between  the  lofty 
bastions,  and  out  at  right  angles,  through  an  inner 
gateway,  into  the  marvellously  beautiful  gardens 
of  the  Shogun.  After  winding  about  for  half 
a  mile  or  more  among  hillocks  and  rockeries  and 
groves  interspersed  with  kiosks  and  toy-like  red- 
lacquered  temples,  we  came  to  the  wall  and  moat 
that  surrounds  the  O  Shiro. 

Here  the  Prince  and  I  left  our  norimons,  and 
walked  over  a  slender  high-arched  bridge,  accom 
panied  only  by  our  chamberlains  and  the  newly 
made  court  chamberlain,  who  had  ostentatiously 
ushered  us  from  the  citadel  gate.  In  compliance 
with  the  request  of  the  Prince,  I  walked  behind 
him  as  if  lost  in  meditation,  my  head  downbent 
and  eyes  narrowed  to  a  line. 

At  the  far  side  of  the  bridge  we  passed  between 
the  vigilant  guards  of  the  inner  gateway,  who, 
however,  seemed  to  detect  nothing  foreign  in 
my  appearance.  Beyond  them  we  came  into  a 
garden  court,  surrounded  with  high  walls  on  three 
sides  and  on  the  fourth  with  a  wing  of  the  palace. 
There  was  no  person  to  be  seen  either  in  the  court 

[174] 


BEFORE    THE    SHOGUN 

or  in  the  broad  veranda  of  the  palace  wing,  to 
which  we  were  conducted.  Mounting  a  set  of 
movable  lacquered  steps,  we  crossed  the  veranda 
to  the  threshold  of  a  small  waiting  room. 

When  our  clogs  had  been  removed,  the  Prince 
handed  over  not  only  his  sword  but  his  dirk  as 
well  into  the  keeping  of  his  chief  attendant.  The 
act  convinced  me  that  we  were  about  to  be  re 
ceived  by  the  Shogun  himself.  It  was  absurd 
to  suppose  that  one  of  so  exalted  a  rank  as  the 
Prince  would  lay  aside  his  dirk  as  well  as  his 
sword  for  any  personage  in  Yedo  other  than  the 
head  of  the  Government.  Fujimaro  did  not  have 
to  ask  twice  for  my  swords.  I  handed  them  over 
at  the  first  word. 

We  entered  and  seated  ourselves.  The  court 
chamberlain  kowtowed  and  withdrew,  and  our 
attendants  proceeded  to  slip  on  our  winged  jackets 
and  adjust  our  court  caps.  These  were  odd 
black-lacquered  affairs,  not  unlike  inverted  boats 
in  shape,  and  were  tied  on  the  crown  of  our  heads 
with  cords  passing  under  our  chins.  Our  chamber 
lains  then  handed  us  the  ceremonial  fans,  and 
withdrew  to  the  lower  end  of  the  room. 

After  a  short  wrait,  the  court  official  reappeared 
and  bowed  to  the  Prince  and  myself.  We  rose 
and  followed  him  through  a  deserted  corridor  into 
a  large  square  room,  where  he  signed  us  to  kneel 
on  three  mats  below  the  cushions  in  front  of  the 

[175] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

tokonoma.  He  slipped  out  again  by  the  way  he 
had  entered,  drawing  shut  the  screen  behind 
him. 

There  followed  a  wait  of  ten  or  fifteen  minutes, 
during  which  I  sought  to  quiet  my  apprehensions 
as  to  the  outcome  of  the  audience  with  this  mysteri 
ous  Oriental  potentate,  by  studying  the  exquisite 
cabinetwork  and  decorations  of  the  room.  I  was 
admiring  the  priceless  cloisonne  vase  which  shared 
the  floor  of  the  tokonoma  with  a  common  water- 
worn  stone,  when  the  Prince  drew  in  his  breath 
with  a  soft  sibilation,  and  kowtowed  until  his 
forehead  pressed  the  floor. 

A  quick  glance  showed  me  a  gap  between  the 
screens  of  the  side  wall,  through  which  was  entering 
a  portly,  stern-faced,  black-bearded  man  in  yellow 
kimono  and  black  haori.  In  his  girdle  were 
thrust  a  sword  and  dirk  that  glittered  with  gold 
fretwork,  but  the  bell-shaped  cap,  or  hat,  on  the 
crown  of  his  head  was  of  plain  black  lacquer. 
The  salute  of  the  Prince  was,  however,  quite 
sufficient  to  convince  me  that  we  were  in  the 
presence  of  the  Shogun.  I  kowtowed  beside  my 
companion. 

We  maintained  our  salute  until  the  Shogun 
had  seated  himself  on  the  cushioned  dais  before 
the  tokonoma  and  commanded  us  to  rise.  As 
we  straightened  and  sat  back  on  knees  and  heels, 
I  was  astonished  to  perceive  that  we  were  alone 

[176] 


BEFORE    THE    SHOGUN 

with  this  exclusive  and  jealously  guarded  ruler  of 
the  most  exclusive  and  jealously  guarded  empire 
on  earth.  But  I  had  heard  too  much  about  the 
ways  of  Oriental  potentates  to  doubt  that  palace 
guards  waited  within  instant  call  behind  the  frail 
barrier  of  the  wall  screens. 

:'The  petition  of  Yoritomo  Sama  for  permission 
to  present  a  memorial  through  Owari  dono  has 
been  received  and  read,"  he  began  in  a  clear, 
colorless  voice.  "The  summary  of  the  intended 
memorial  of  Yoritomo  Sama  has  been  received 
but  not  read.  The  Legacy  of  lyeyasu  forbids 
the  reading  of  documents  or  letters  that  refer  to 
tojin  countries." 

"The  will  of  Minamoto  lyeyoshi  is  the  delight 
of  his  servants!"  exclaimed  the  Prince,  smiling 
as  though  he  had  received  a  favor.  "May  inquiry 
be  made  whether  the  Tycoon  has  laid  the  matter 
before  the  Elder  Council?" 

If  the  Shogun  was  flattered  by  the  adulatory 
Chinese  title,  which  properly  belonged  only  to 
the  Mikado,  there  was  nothing  to  indicate  the 
fact  in  his  stern  look.  He  replied  curtly,  "The 
Council  has  not  yet  been  consulted." 

Though  so  ungraciously  stated,  I  divined  that 
this  answer  implied  a  point  in  our  favor,  and  I 
smiled  quite  as  suavely  as  the  Prince.  The 
Shogun  turned  his  gloomy  eyes  upon  me  in  a 
fixed  stare.  As  a  matter  of  courtesy  I  was  willing 

[177] 


to  conform  to  the  etiquette  of  the  country,  but 
I  was  not  inclined  to  cringe  before  any  man. 
No  thought  of  insolence  or  bravado  entered  my 
mind.  The  rank  of  this  Oriental  ruler  entitled 
him  to  my  respect.  I  met  his  look  with  the  calm 
and  steady  gaze  with  which  a  gentleman  regards 
a  new  acquaintance. 

The  experiment  was  not  lacking  in  danger. 
Deference  is  the  breath  of  life  to  the  normal  Oriental 
potentate.  But  the  pride  of  race  and  family  is 
hard  to  overcome,  even  though  expediency  counsel 
a  subservient  attitude.  I  could  not  have  humbled 
myself  had  I  desired. 

The  event  proved  that  Minamoto  lyeyoshi 
was  far  other  than  a  typical  tyrant.  His  dark 
eyes  lighted  and  he  expressed  his  opinion  of  me 
with  royal  conciseness:  "The  American  tojin 
is  brave." 

I  bowed  in  acknowledgment.  :'Your  Highness 
is  pleased  to  be  gracious!  Permit  me  to  speak 
for  one  who  is  my  friend,  —  a  man  who,  for  the 
sake  of  his  country,  laid  aside  riches  and  rank, 
and,  at  the  risk  of  life  and  honor,  crossed  the  seas 
to  search  out  the  secrets  of  tojin  power.  Your 
Highness,  do  the  records  of  Nippon's  heroes  tell 
of  any  nobler  deed  of  courage  and  devotion?" 

:<The  Legacy  of  lyeyasu  may  not  be  altered," 
he  replied. 

"Your  Highness,"  I  said,   "since  the  days  of 
[178] 


BEFORE    THE    SHOGUN 

your  august  ancestor  lyeyasu  Sama,  Dai  Nippon 
has  stood  still  among  the  nations  of  the  earth 
while  all  the  tojin  world  has  rolled  forward.  Even 
China  stirs  from  the  sleep  of  cycles.  The  time 
has  come  for  the  people  of  Nippon  to  learn  that 
the  tojins  are  neither  beasts  nor  demons  nor 
even  barbarians.  Your  Highness,  the  son  of  the 
wise  Prince  of  Owari  honored  me  with  his  friend 
ship.  For  the  sake  of  that  friendship  I  have  come 
with  him  to  Nippon  to  advise  the  altering  of  the 
laws  of  lyeyasu." 

"A  tojin  counsellor  in  the  Shogunate!" 

''Your  Highness  may  recall  one  precedent," 
I  replied.  "lyeyasu  Sama  listened  to  the  counsel 
of  Anjin  Sama,  my  ancestor." 

The  curiosity  in  the  Shogun's  eyes  deepened 
without  a  trace  of  change  in  his  impassive  face. 
He  glanced  inquiringly  at  my  companion,  who 
responded  in  a  tone  of  calm  conviction:  "Anjin 
Sama,  the  favorite  and  most  trusted  counsellor 
of  our  august  ancestor,  has  returned  in  a  new 
birth  to  advise  Minamoto  lyeyoshi  regarding 
the  tojin  peoples." 

"Does  the  tojin  himself  make  claim  that  he  is  a 
reincarnation  of  Anjin?"  demanded  the  Shogun. 

"No  claim  is  made  by  myself,  Your  Highness," 
I  answered.  "  I  am  not  conscious  that  my  soul 
is  the  soul  of  Anjin.  But  I  know  that  I  am  lineally 
descended  from  Anjin  through  his  English  son, 

[179] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

and  Owari  dono  honors  me  with  an  acknowledg 
ment  of  kinship." 

The  Prince  bowed  in  confirmation. 

lyeyoshi's  face  darkened.  "  Woroto  is  a  believer 
in  the  accursed  sect!" 

"Your  Highness  is  mistaken,"  I  replied.  "The 
sect  denounced  by  your  laws  is  that  body  of 
Christians  which  acknowledges  the  rule  of  the 
Pope  of  Rome.  There  are  many  Christian  sects 
which  reject  the  Pope." 

"All  Christian  sects  seek  to  subvert  filial  piety 
and  the  reverent  worship  of  the  august  ancestors, 
upon  which  rest  the  foundations  of  morality  and 
order." 

''Your  Highness,"  I  ventured,  "whatever  may 
be  the  foundations  of  order  and  morality,  the  life 
of  nations  depends  either  upon  the  power  to  meet 
force  with  force  or  the  wisdom  to  avoid  conflict. 
For  generations  Dai  Nippon  has  .been  safe  owing 
to  her  isolation  from  the  lands  beyond  the  wide  seas. 
But  now  the  tojin  peoples  have  attained  to  a  power 
inconceivable  to  one  who  has  not  seen.  Their 
warships  cover  the  seas." 

"So  also  did  the  war  junks  of  Kublai  Khan," 
he  rejoined. 

:'The  fleet  of  Kublai  Khan  was  destroyed  off 
the  shores  of  Nippon  by  the  great  storm  no  less 
than  by  the  valor  of  Nippon's  samurais"  I 
replied.  "But  the  warships  of  the  tojins  move 

[180] 


BEFORE    THE    SHOGUN 

without  sails  against  the  greatest  of  typhoons, 
and  their  cannon  shoot  far.  Your  Highness  may 
have  heard  of  Chinese  arrogance.  The  tojins 
said,  'Trade  with  us.'  The  Chinese  spat  at  them 
and  called  them  'foreign  devils.'  The  tojins 
said,  'Trade  with  us.'  They  attacked  the  tojins. 
The  tojin  warships  came  to  them  in  anger. 
Now  they  trade  with  the  tojins  in  many  open 
ports.  The  tojin  trade  is  a  rising  tide  that  is 
sweeping  its  way  around  the  world.  Your  High 
ness  knows  that  the  Government  of  my  country 
is  sending  a  very  great  official  honorably  to 
request  that  the  ports  of  Dai  Nippon  be  unblocked 
before  the  rising  tide." 

"Earthquake  waves  have  rolled  up  on  our 
coasts,  destroying  thousands.  The  waters  have 
ever  receded,  and  Dai  Nippon  still  stands." 

:<The  tide  of  tojin  trade  has  never  receded  from 
wherever  it  has  flowed.  Tojin  power  is  far  beyond 
the  knowledge  of  Your  Highness.  Do  not  judge 
by  the  Dutch.  They  are  now  a  very  little  people 
in  the  tojin  world.  In  the  august  name  of  Mina- 
moto  lyeyasu  and  in  the  name  of  Anjin  Sama, 
his  counsellor,  I  ask  Minamoto  lyeyoshi  to  receive 
and  ponder  on  the  memorial  of  Yoritomo  Sama." 

"The  prayer  of  Woroto  will  be  considered," 
replied  the  Shogun,  and  with  this  half  concession, 
he  touched  a  small  gong  that  stood  beside  him  on 
an  elbow  rest. 

[181] 


CHAPTER  XV    -  REQUITAL 

^f  N  quick  response  to  the  signal,  the  chamberlain 
who  had  conducted  us  to  the  palace  entered 
at  the  side  of  the  room.     Over  his  feet  and  a 
J^_     yard  behind  trailed  a  grotesque  prolongation 
of  his  trouser  legs  that  gave  him  the  appear 
ance  of  walking  on  his  knees.     I  supposed  he  had 
been  summoned  to  usher  us  out.     But  when  he 
crept  forward  on  hands  and  knees  and  kowtowed, 
the  Shogun   commanded   harshly:    "Look  at  the 
tojin,  Gengo.     Report  has  been  made  that  he  com 
mitted  the  crime  of  firing  a  gun  within  the  bounds 
of  Yedo.     Speak  the  truth." 

The  chamberlain  raised  his  head  a  little  above 
the  floor,  and  stared  across  at  me,  his  face  gray 
with  fear  beneath  its  set  smile. 

''Your  Highness,"  he  murmured,  "the  truth 
cannot  be  concealed.  This  is  the  tojin  who,  in 
company  with  Yoritomo,  son  of  Owari  dono, 
fired  many  shots  from  a  little  gun  the  like  of  which 
has  never  before  been  seen  in  Yedo.  Your  High 
ness  knows  that  I  had  no  share  in  the  crime. 
Yuki  was  captain  of  the  cortege,  and  the  responsi 
bility  - 

[182] 


REQUITAL 

"Enough,"  interrupted  the  Shogun.  "Send  in 
Setsu." 

As  the  fellow  crept  from  the  room  I  stared  after 
him,  astounded  that  fear  could  so  debase  one  who 
had  outmatched  by  his  skill  and  braveness  the 
armored  ronins.  He  had  stood  unflinching  before 
the  bloody  swords  that  had  cut  down  his  comrades, 
yet  now,  at  the  bare  intimation  that  his  lord  was 
displeased  with  me,  crawled  away  without  ventur 
ing  a  word  in  favor  of  the  tojin  whose  so-called 
crime  had  saved  him  from  death  and  his  Princess 
from  the  disgrace  of  capture. 

I  turned  to  the  Prince,  expecting  him  to  burst 
into  warm  protests  against  the  injustice  of  the 
Shogun 's  attitude.  He  sat  in  placid  silence,  his 
face  wreathed  in  the  polite  smile  of  the  Japanese 
courtier.  Yet  I  knew  that  he  could  not  be  indiffer 
ent.  Ruin  to  me  would  spell  ruin  to  Yoritomo. 
Determined  not  to  be  outdone  in  self-control, 
I  composed  myself,  and  faced  the  Shogun  with 
the  same  forced  smile  of  etiquette. 

lyeyoshi  regarded  me  with  an  inscrutable  look. 
Though  his  features  were  as  impassive  as  if  cast 
in  golden  bronze,  I  fancied  a  sinister  mockery 
behind  the  cold  curiosity  of  his  gaze.  I  felt  as 
a  mouse  must  feel  between  the  paws  of  the  cat. 
I  had  been  so  foolish  as  to  leave  my  revolvers  in 
my  apartments.  I  was  absolutely  in  the  power  of 
this  gloomy-eyed  ruler  I  thought  of  all  the 

[183] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

hideous  mediaeval  tortures  still  in  practice  in 
this  benighted  land,  and  a  cold  sweat  oozed  out 
upon  my  skin  and  chilled  me.  Yet  I  maintained 
my  courtier's  smile. 

Noiselessly  as  a  shadow  a  girl  glided  across  the 
room  and  prostrated  herself  before  the  Shogun. 
It  was  the  younger  of  the  Princess  Azai's  samurai 
ladies.  lyeyoshi  muttered  a  command.  She 
raised  her  head  a  few  inches,  and  spoke  rapidly, 
but  in  tones  so  soft  and  low  I  could  only  conjecture 
that  she  was  giving  a  detailed  account  of  the  attack 
and  defeat  of  the  ronins.  Throughout  the  recital 
the  Shogun  held  to  his  cold  scrutiny  of  my  face. 
I  continued  to  smile. 

At  the  end  he  signed  her  to  go.  In  turning 
about,  she  cast  at  me  a  glance  of  modest  interest, 
and  I  thought  there  was  friendliness  in  her  smile. 
She  glided  out  as  noiselessly  as  she  had  entered. 
There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  another  girl 
glided  in  to  prostrate  herself  before  the  Shogun,  - 
a  girl  still  more  graceful  and  lissome,  dressed  in 
crepes  of  gossamer  texture.  I  stared  in  amazement, 
my  heart  skipping  a  beat  and  then  bounding  with  a 
force  that  sent  a  flood  of  color  into  my  face.  The 
girl  was  the  Shogun's  daughter,  the  Princess  Azai. 

"Speak  the  full  truth!"  commanded  the  Shogun, 
with  the  barest  suggestion  of  tenderness  beneath 
his  stern  tone.  "This  is  not  the  first  time  you 
have  seen  the  tojin" 

[184] 


REQUITAL 

"Your  Highness,"  she  murmured,  in  a  voice 
as  clear  and  musical  as  it  was  low,  "the  tojin  sama 
appeared  before  me  first  below  the  holy  image  of 
Kwannon  at  Zozoji.  I  thought  him  a  god  or  a 
spirit.  Again  he  appeared,  in  the  midst  of  the 
attack  by  the  evil  ronins,  and  then  I  knew  him 
to  be  a  hero  such  as  are  told  of  in  the  ancient 
writings." 

"The  privilege  of  rulers  is  to  honor  heroes," 
said  the  Shogun,  and  he  made  a  sign  with  his 
fan. 

Azai  glided  to  the  opening  in  the  screens,  and 
returned  with  a  tea  tray  of  unvarnished  cypress 
wood,  which  she  held  above  her  white  brow  until 
she  had  knelt  to  set  it  before  her  father.  Having 
served  him,  she  glided  across  again,  to  return 
with  a  tray  and  service  of  vermilion  lacquer. 
This  she  brought  to  the  Prince,  holding  it  not  so 
high  as  the  first  tray.  Last  of  all  she  came  to 
serve  me  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  my  fellow- 
guest.  Tray  and  service  and  ceremonial  were 
identical.  In  other  words,  I  was  received  by  the 
Shogun  as  a  personage  of  rank  equal  to  that  of  the 
Prince  of  Owari. 

But  I  gave  scant  thought  to  this  triumph  of 
diplomacy  when  I  looked  down  upon  the  quaint 
coiffure  and  slender  figure  of  the  kowtowing 
girl.  As  she  straightened  from  the  salute  and, 
still  upon  her  knees,  bent  forward  to  offer  me  my 

[1851 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

tea  and  sweetmeats,  her  eyes  rose  to  mine  in  a 
timid  glance.  By  good  fortune  I  was  able  to 
restrain  my  tongue.  But  I  could  not  withhold 
from  my  gaze  the  adoration  which  overwhelmed 
me  at  this  close  view  of  her  exquisite  purity  and 
loveliness. 

I  had  barely  a  glimpse  of  the  soft  brown-black 
eyes,  purpling  with  emotion.  Then  the  lids 
drooped  their  long  lashes,  and  a  scarlet  blush 
leaped  into  her  ivory  cheeks.  Yet  with  consummate 
grace  and  composure,  she  maintained  her  delicious 
little  smile  of  greeting,  and  served  me  without  a 


_ 

Her  blush  passed  as  swiftly  as  it  had  come, 
but  it  left  me  stunned  and  dizzy  with  the  realiza 
tion  that  I  loved  this  divinely  sweet  and  innocent 
maiden,  —  the  daughter  of  the  proud  ruler  of 
Nippon,  —  the  promised  bride  of  my  true  friend 
Tomo.  She  was  as  far  beyond  my  reach  as  the 
silvery  moon.  What  of  that?  Love  does  not 
reason.  Even  in  the  midst  of  my  shame  at  the 
thought  of  my  friend,  I  found  myself  unable  to 
resist  the  mad  longing  to  win  the  lovely  girl. 

My  infatuated  gaze  could  not  have  escaped 
the  keen  eyes  of  her  father  and  the  Prince.  To 
my  surprise,  instead  of  reproving  me  with  word 
or  look,  they  sipped  their  tiny  cups  of  tea  as  fast 
as  the  little  Princess  could  refill  them,  and 
exchanged  cryptic  verses  from  the  Chinese  classics. 

[186] 


REQUITAL 

The  poetic  contest  continued  until  we  had  finished 
our  refreshment  and  Azai  had  withdrawn  with  her 
trays. 

The  Shogun  quoted  a  last  verse,  and  turned 
upon  me  with  pedagogical  severity.  "Woroto 
gives  no  heed  to  the  golden  words  of  the  Chinese 
sage!" 

''Your  Highness,"  I  replied,  "if  ignorance  of 
Confucius  is  the  sole  test,  regard  me  as  a  barbarian. 
Less  than  two  years  have  passed  since  I  began 
the  study  of  your  language  with  Yoritomo  Sama." 

"In  the  matter  of  tojin  learning,  Woroto  Sama 
is  a  scholar,"  interposed  the  Prince. 

"And  a  true  samurai  in  battle,"  added  the 
Shogun  with  a  graciousness  that,  I  must  confess, 
relieved  me  not  a  little. 

"Your  Highness,"  I  asked,  "if  inquiry  is 
admissible  —  there  were  two  hatamotos  who  lived 
to  see  the  flight  of  the  ronins.  Both  fought  with 
utmost  skill  and  courage." 

"Gengo,  as  you  have  seen,  has  been  promoted," 
answered  the  Shogun.  "He  did  all  that  his 
position  called  for.  Yuki,  as  captain  of  the 
cortege,  was  guilty  of  falling  into  an  ambush. 
In  consideration  of  his  loyal  valor,  his  life  has 
been  mercifully  spared,  and  his  punishment  limited 
to  degradation  from  the  service  of  the  Shogunate." 

Only  with  utmost  difficulty  could  I  maintain 
my  set  smile.  Here  was  bitter  requital  for  service, 

[187] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

-  the  loyal  and  courageous  hatamoto  made  a  ronin 
and  beggared  because  of  a  surprise  which  he  had 
no  shadow  of  reason  to  anticipate. 

"Rumor  says  that  one  of  the  traitors  was  taken 
alive,"  remarked  the  Prince.  "Is  permission  given 
to  inquire?" 

"The  criminal  refused  to  speak,  and  so  died 
under  examination." 

A  shudder  passed  through  me  at  the  terse  reply. 
I  called  to  mind  what  I  had  read  of  rack  and  boot 
and  fire  and  all  the  other  hideous  tortures  of 
mediaeval  court  procedure. 

The  Prince  must  have  been  bitterly  disappointed. 
He  laughed  softly,  and  ventured  another  inquiry: 
"It  is  rumored  that  the  band  came  from  the 
north." 

'They  were  ronins,  formerly  in  the  service 
of  Mito,"  replied  the  Shogun.  "Written  declara 
tions  found  upon  their  bodies  state  that  they 
had  foresworn  their  loyalty  to  their  lord,  and 
intended  to  strike  a  blow  against  the  Shogunate 
in  favor  of  the  temporal  power  of  the  Mikado." 

"In  Tenno's  name,  for  Mito's  fame,"  rhymed 
the  Prince. 

The  verse  was  not  improbably  a  paraphrase 
of  a  classic  couplet  and  must  have  contained  an 
allusion  beyond  the  bare  meaning  of  the  words, 
lyeyoshi's  face  darkened  with  a  double  suspicion. 

"Eleven  years  have  passed  since  the  Prince  of 
[188] 


REQUITAL 

Mito  was  compelled  to  resign  his  daimiate  to  his 
eldest  son  and  confine  himself  in  his  inferior 
Yedo  yashiki,"  he  stated.  "Rekko's  enemies 
have  yet  to  furnish  clear  proof  that  his  casting 
of  bells  into  cannon  was  not  for  the  conquest  of 
the  Ainos  and  the  glory  of  the  Shogunate,  as  was 
claimed  by  him." 

"Mito  walks  with  face  to  the  past  and  eyes 
turned  upward,"  murmured  the  Prince.  "No 
Mito  has  yet  sat  on  the  stool  of  the  Mikado's 
high  commander  of  armies.  But  neither  was 
Hideyoshi  the  Taiko  Sama  made  Shogun.  He 
held  a  higher  title  in  the  Mikado's  court,  and  was 
supreme  general  in  fact  though  not  in  name.  Is 
it  for  the  glory  of  our  holy  Mikado  or  for  the  eleva 
tion  of  Keiki  that  Mito  plots  the  overthrow  of 
the  Shogunate?" 

Stung  to  fury  by  the  bare  mention  of  the 
threatened  disaster  to  his  rule,  lyeyoshi  bent 
forward,  his  face  distorted  with  murderous  rage, 
and  his  hand  clutching  at  the  hilt  of  his  dirk. 
The  Prince,  still  smiling  under  the  menace  of 
instant  death,  kowtowed,  and  waited  on  hands 
and  knees,  with  his  neck  bared  for  the  blade. 

"Gladly  does  a  loyal  subject  offer  life  in  con 
firmation  of  sincerity,"  he  murmured. 

The  blood  curdled  in  my  veins  as  the  full  horror 
of  the  moment  burst  upon  me.  Unsoftened  by 
my  companion's  submissiveness,  the  Shogun  thrust 

[189] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

back  his  long  sleeve  with  his  left  hand  and  tightened 
his  grip  on  the  dirk.  His  eyes  narrowed  to  cruel 
slits.  I  knew  there  would  be  only  one  movement, 
-  a  flashing  stroke  from  the  scabbard  that  would 
sever  the  outstretched  neck  of  the  Prince.  In 
the  same  instant  I  realized  that  the  death  of  the 
father  would  mean  death  to  the  son  and  the  ruin 
of  what  he  valued  far  above  life,  —  his  mission. 
I  had  pledged  myself  to  help  Yoritomo,  and  —  I 
loved  his  betrothed!  What  had  I  to  live  for? 

:' Your  Highness!"  I  gasped.  "I  do  not  know 
all  your  customs.  In  China  a  condemned  man 
may  sometimes  receive  punishment  through  a 
substitute.  Accept  my  life  for  the  life  of  my 
kinsman!" 

The  Shogun  turned  his  glittering  eyes  upon  me. 
They  were  as  cold  and  hard  and  malignant  as 
the  eyes  of  an  enraged  snake.  Yet  the  same 
impulse  that  had  forced  my  offer  now  impelled 
me  to  creep  nearer  to  him,  fearful  that  he  might 
refuse  to  accept.  I  did  not  realize  that  my  inter 
ference  was  in  itself  an  outrage  upon  the  dignity 
of  the  Shogun,  punishable  with  death.  First 
the  Prince,  then  myself!  The  bared  arm  of  the 
despot  twitched  - 

Suddenly  the  distorted  face  relaxed  and  the 
hand  on  the  hilt  drew  away.  Either  my  offer 
had  penetrated  through  the  crust  of  ceremonialism 
to  the  wellsprings  of  his  nature,  or,  at  the  very 

[190] 


REQUITAL 

height  of  his  rage,  he  had  recalled  to  mind  the 
power  of  the  friendly  Owari  party  and  remembered 
that  even  he  had  no  lawful  right  to  punish  a 
daimio  of  the  first  class  other  than  by  deposition 
with  the  sanctioning  assent  of  the  Mikado. 

"Namu  Amida  Butsu!"  he  murmured.  "Rage 
is  an  evil  counsellor!  Be  seated.  The  tojin 
offends  with  his  uncouth  manners  and  unsmiling 
face.  Yet  he  has  proved  his  high  sense  of  loyalty 
and  the  filial  duty  owing  to  his  elder  kinsman. 
I  am  appeased." 

''Your  Highness  has  spared  two  unworthy 
lives,"  replied  the  Prince.  :'The  loyalty  of  my 
counsel  is  still  doubted.  Grant  me  leave  to  with 
draw,  that  I  may  make  proof  of  sincerity." 

Again  a  feeling  of  horror  seized  me  and  brought 
the  cold  sweat  to  my  face.  The  gruesome  proof 
of  sincerity  was  hara-kiri.  I  recalled  the  suicide 
of  the  wounded  ronin,  and  I  shuddered.  No! 
Not  even  for  Yoritomo's  sake  could  I  offer  this 
sacrifice  of  myself  for  his  father.  I  had  not  been 
trained  from  childhood  in  the  stern  samurai  code. 
Still  on  hands  and  knees,  I  stared  up  at  the  clouded 
face  of  the  Shogun,  in  agonized  suspense. 

At  last  the  clear  gaze  and  unchanging  smile 
of  the  Prince  won  the  contest  against  doubt  and 
suspicion. 

"The  sincerity  of  Owari  dono  is  not  questioned," 
replied  the  Shogun. 

[191] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

But  the  Prince  was  still  unsatisfied.  "There 
remains  doubt  regarding  the  wisdom  of  humbly 
offered  counsel,"  he  insisted. 

"Permission  is  granted  Owari  dono  to  present 
the  memorial  of  Yoritomo  Sama,  which  will  be 
read  and  considered,"  came  the  welcome  response. 

We  kowtowed  together,  loudly  insucking  our 
breath  to  express  our  gratitude  and  delight. 
The  Shogun  rose,  and  we  again  kowtowed  while 
he  left  the  room.  A  screen  in  the  side  wall  opened 
before  him  and  closed  agian  without  a  sound. 
We  were  once  more  alone. 

As  we  settled  back  on  our  heels  the  Prince  com 
mended  me  for  my  part  in  the  successful  outcome 
of  the  audience  with  a  glance  of  warm  approval. 
I  could  not  restrain  an  exultant  exclamation: 
"We've  won!  He  cannot  resist  Yoritomo's 
facts!" 

The  Prince  touched  his  lips  and  signed  to  the 
rear.  A  shadow  passed  across  my  face.  I  had 
not  heard  even  a  rustle  of  silken  folds,  yet  Gengo 
the  court  chamberlain  was  already  beside  me. 
He  kowtowed,  and  murmured  in  a  tone  of 
ingratiating  obsequiousness:  "The  august  princes 
are  implored  to  accept  the  humble  services  of 
their  servant.  The  condescension  of  the  great 
fills  with  joy  the  breast  of  the  lowly!" 

"The  duties  of  a  court  chamberlain  restrict 
his  services  to  his  lord,"  replied  my  companion. 

[192] 


REQUITAL 

I  had  taken  a  dislike  to  the  man,  despite  my 
remembrance  of  his  braveness  and  swordsmanship, 
but  I  thought  the  Prince  spoke  with  undue  harsh 
ness.  Heedless  of  the  reproof,  Gengo  looked  up, 
with  a  fawning  smile,  and  answered  significantly: 
"Great  men  have  accepted  aid  from  foxes." 

"A  wise  man  trusts  in  the  gods,  and  scorns 
the  goblin  power  of  badgers  and  foxes,"  rejoined 
the  Prince. 

"Gold  opens  gates  that  steel  cannot  force, 
my  lord." 

:'The  gates  that  are  already  open  may  crush 
those  who  attempt  to  close  them." 

Gengo  cringed  and  looked  up  with  a  bland  smile. 

'The  favor  of  the  exalted  Prince  of  Owari  will  be 
remembered  by  his  servant,"  he  murmured,  and  he 
kowtowed,  laughing  softly  and  sucking  his  breath. 

The  Prince  signed  me  to  rise.  Gengo  rose 
after  us  and  ushered  us  out  by  the  way  we  had 
come,  with  utmost  obsequiousness.  In  the  wait 
ing  room  our  caps  and  winged  jackets  were  re 
moved  by  our  chamberlains,  who  slipped  on  our 
lacquered  clogs  at  the  threshold. 

Gengo  conducted  our  party  out  across  the  inner 
moat  and  through  the  palace  gardens  to  the  gate 
in  the  citadel  rampart.  There  at  last  he  turned 
back,  while  we  swung  out  across  the  great  moat 
and  homeward  along  Kojimachi  Street,  to  bear 
the  good  news  to  Yoritomo. 

[193] 


CHAPTER    XVI--MiTo   STRIKES 

A   SECOND   period   of   anxious   waiting 
followed     the    visit    to    the    palace. 
Yoritomo  soon  completed  his  memorial 
which   his   father   at   once   presented 
to   the  Shogun.     After   that   we  had 
to    wait    in    blind    uncertainty    of    the    outcome, 
yet  aware  that  the  Mito  party  was  gathering  all 
its    strength    to    bring    about    the    downfall    and 
destruction  of  Owari. 

On  the  morning  of  July  the  sixth,  Yoritomo 
came  to  my  apartments  for  the  first  long  visit 
he  had  been  free  to  pay  me  since  our  arrival  at 
Owari  Yashiki.  As  soon  as  the  attendants  had 
served  pipes  and  tea  and  had  withdrawn,  he 
sought  to  repeat  the  fervent  thanks  which  he  had 
already  showered  on  me  for  my  impulsive  attempt 
to  save  his  father.  I  could  no  longer  bear  his 
gratitude. 

"Wait,  Tomo,"  I  interrupted.  "I  have  a 
confession  to  make.  I  am  ashamed  to  receive 
your  praises.  The  least  I  can  do  is  to  confess 
the  bitter  truth.  I  love  your  little  Princess." 

"Do  I  not  already  know  that?"  he  replied. 
"My  brother,  I  grieve  for  you!" 

[194] 


MITO    STRIKES 

"Despise  me,  rather!  When  I  looked  into  her 
Madonna  face,  I  could  not  resist  showing  her 
my  love  —  to  her,  your  betrothed !  —  and  I  thought 
myself  a  gentleman!" 

"My  betrothed  only  in  name,  Worth.  How 
often  have  I  told  you  that  my  life  has  been  given?" 

"Yet  if  you  succeed?" 

He  touched  his  dirk.  :'  You  know  the  customary 
proof  of  sincerity.  If  that  is  not  required,  I 
have  vowed  to  shave  my  head,  and  enter  the 
monastery  at  Zozoji." 

"No,  no,  Tomo!"  I  protested.  "Consider  your 
chances  for  a  glorious  future.  If  we  win  against 
Mito,  only  the  life  of  the  feeble  son  of  the  Shogun 
stands  between  you  and  the  succession  to  the 
throne.  As  the  husband  of  the  Shogun 's  daughter 
and  heir  of  Owari,  with  the  strong  friendship  of 
Satsuma  - 

"What  is  the  saying  of  your  great  poet?"  he 
interrupted.  "Uneasy  lies  the  head  that  wears 
a  crown.'  Neither  power  nor  love  tempt  me. 
If  now  I  can  subdue  my  hatred  of  Mito  and  his 
clan,  and  fulfil  my  mission  with  self-abasement  - 

"Be  a  Buddhist  saint  if  you  must,  but  when 
you  have  accomplished  your  mission,  your  gods 
will  reward  you  with  a  happy  life." 

"Your  souls  have  met  and  loved  in  some  former 
reincarnation,"  he  murmured.  "Cast  off  all 
thought  of  shame,  brother.  I  have  no  desire 

[195] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

for  the  maiden.  You  belong  to  one  another. 
Your  souls  are  bound  together  inseparably." 

"Tomo!"  I  cried,  and  I  bowed  over,  between 
shame  and  intoxicating  delight. 

Fujimaro  entered  with  the  freedom  allowed 
a  teacher,  and  said  in  his  most  formal  style: 
"  Permission  to  enter  the  august  presence  is  humbly 
entreated  by  a  woman  of  low  degree,  the  geisha 
Kohana." 

Yoritomo  nodded  to  me,  and  I  answered: 
"Bring  her  in  without  delay." 

As  Fujimaro  glided  out,  I  bent  towards  Yori 
tomo  with  a  quick  question:  "Another  of  Keiki's 
plots?" 

"Would  that  be  a  matter  of  surprise?  "  he  replied, 
with  his  placid  smile.  "She  will  soon  tell  us. 
We  were  talking  of  one  to  whom  you  have  given 
your  heart  with  true  Occidental  romanticism. 
I  grieve  for  you,  brother!" 

"That  I  should  have  betrayed  my  friend?" 

"No,  not  that.  I  have  never  stood  between 
you  and  the  maiden  in  wish,  and  will  not  in  fact. 
I  grieve  because  I  know  that  your  love  is  hopeless 
in  this  life.  At  the  best,  you  have  only  the  chance 
to  unite  yourselves  in  death,  and  even  that  union 
is  no  more  than  a  remote  possibility." 

"Union!  —  death!"  I  repeated. 

"When  lovers  know  there  is  no  hope  of  union 
in  this  life,  they  pledge  themselves  to  love  one 

[196] 


MITO    STRIKES 

another  for  seven   existences,  and  -     '  Again  he 
touched  his  dirk  hilt. 

"That?"  I  cried.  "Ask  her  to  sacrifice  herself 
for  me?" 

;'You  Westerners  talk  of  faith.  We  practise 
it.  Azai  will  gladly  end  her  life  here  for  the  bliss 
of  being  joined  to  you  in  the  world  beyond.  She 
loves  you." 

"Impossible!  I  am  a  tojin.  The  very  sight 
of  me  frightened  her." 

"At  the  first,  yes.  Now  she  loves  you.  My 
father  saw  your  soul  in  her  eyes." 

"Impossible!"  I  repeated. 

"Impossible  for  you  to  be  united  in  this  life," 
he  repeated.  "None  the  less,  she  is  yours  so 
far  as  love  gives  you  the  right,  —  and  she  is  yours 
so  far  as  the  wish  of  your  brother  is  to  be  con 
sidered." 

"Tomo,  you  will  help  me?" 

"I  will  help."  He  waved  back  my  outstretched 
hand.  "They  come." 

Fujimaro  opened  a  screen  for  Kohana  San  to 
enter,  and,  at  a  sign  from  me,  withdrew.  The 
geisha  had  not  paused  to  cast  off  her  hood  and 
gray  street  kimono.  Panting  from  haste  and  fear, 
she  glided  across  to  us  on  her  knees,  her  unsmiling 
face  pallid  beneath  its  rouge  and  rice  powder. 

"My  lord,"  she  gasped,  "Mito  strikes!  The 
Council,  unknown  to  His  Highness  - 

[197] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Midzuano  has  ordered  our  arrest,"  stated 
Yoritomo. 

"  I  have  had  no  calls  to  Mi  to  yashiki.  A  delayed 
message  came  from  the  ronin  Yuki,  who  was 
captain  of  the  hatamotos  —  Keiki  sought  to  bribe 
him  against  us.  He  pretended  to  agree  - 

Yoritomo  twisted  about  to  my  tokonoma  and 
opened  the  lacquered  case  in  which  I  kept  my 
revolvers  and  ammunition.  He  thrust  one  of  the 
revolvers  into  his  bosom,  and  gave  me  the  other. 

"We  must  stand  before  the  judges  without  our 
swords,"  he  said.  "That  is  due  the  dignity  of 
the  court.  But  we  cannot  tell  how  far  Keiki 
and  Midzuano  may  induce  them  to  proceed. 
It  is  better  to  die  quickly  than  under  torture." 

"And  take  Midzuano  and  Keiki  with  us,"  I 
added. 

"If  it  comes  to  the  point,  and  they  are  present." 
He  turned  to  Kohana  San.  :'You  have  been 
followed?  —  seen  to  enter?" 

"Not  that  I  can  tell,  my  lord." 

"CallFujimaro." 

I  clapped  my  hands,  and  the  chamberlain 
appeared  at  the  side  of  the  room. 

Yoritomo  pointed  to  the  kneeling  girl.  "Let 
denial  be  made  that  the  geisha  who  entered 
Owari  Yashiki  was  Kohana  San.  To-night  return 
the  girl  to  Shinagawa  in  a  norimon.,  with  escort, 
incognito,  but  passing  out  the  main  gate." 

[198] 


MITO    STRIKES 

"My  lord!  a  geisha  in  a  norimon,  and  carried 
through  the  state  gate  of  Owari  Yashiki!"  mur 
mured  the  outraged  chamberlain,  masking  his 
amazement  behind  his  suave  smile,  yet  unable  to 
repress  the  note  of  horror  that  underlaid  his  mildly 
worded  protest. 

"Will  Keiki  then  believe  the  spies  that  report 
the  coming  of  Kohana  San  to  Owari?  They 
will  say  she  is  still  here,  yet  she  will  be  in 
Shinagawa." 

"My  lord!  the  life  of  a  dancer  against  the 
dignity  of  Owari  - 

"The  dignity  of  Owari  against  the  defeat  of 
those  who  would  ruin  Owari  and  Nippon.  The 
geisha  is  now  worth  a  thousand  men  to  Owari. 
Seal  your  lips  and  the  lips  of  all  others.  She 
will  leave  the  norimon  in  some  dark  by-way. 
You  will  loiter  through  Shinagawa,  and  return 
with  one  of  the  guard  inside.  Go  now  and  request 
leave  of  my  august  father  for  us  to  appear  before 
him." 

Fujimaro  hastened  out,  and  we  turned  to 
question  Kohana  San.  Before  she  could  tell 
how  the  message  had  reached  her,  the  chamber 
lain  reappeared,  and  announced  that  one  of  the 
Prince's  personal  attendants  had  come  to  inform 
us  our  presence  was  desired  in  the  audience  hall. 

"Mito  strikes.  It  is  for  us  to  parry  and 
counter,"  said  Yoritomo.  We  slipped  our  swords 

[199] 


into  our  girdles,  and  rose.  At  the  threshold 
he  turned  to  Kohana  San.  "Pray  to  the  war  god 
and  to  your  kitten." 

"Ten  thousand  felicitous  years  to  my  lord!" 
she  murmured.  'The  might  of  Hachiman  and 
the  craft  of  the  geisha  cat  shall  aid  him!" 

The  waiting  attendant  conducted  us  direct  to 
the  audience  hall,  his  unsmiling  face  a  portent 
of  calamity.  At  the  entrance  he  halted  and 
kowtowed.  We  passed  in  alone.  The  Prince 
was  seated  in  state  before  the  grand  tokonoma 
and  close  beside  him  on  his  left  sat  a  visitor  also 
dressed  in  winged  jacket,  —  a  large  and  swarthy 
man,  with  features  of  the  heavy  German  type. 

When  we  entered,  refreshments  had  been  served, 
and  the  only  retainers  present  were  the  six  counsel 
lors.  Yoritomo  led  me  to  the  head  of  the  room, 
where  we  knelt  and  laid  our  swords  upon  the 
mats  at  our  right,  and  exchanged  bows  with  the 
Prince  and  his  guest.  I  had  no  need  of  my  friend's 
greeting  to  the  stranger  to  divine  his  identity. 
I  had  already  perceived  from  the  circle  cross  upon 
his  coat  and  his  position  on  the  left  of  the  Prince 
that  he  was  none  other  than  Yoritomo's  friend 
Shimadzu  Nariakira,  the  great  Daimio  of  Satsuma. 
Accepting  the  precedent  set  by  the  Prince,  he 
greeted  me  as  his  junior  but  peer,  and  proceeded 
to  look  me  over  with  a  gaze  as  frank  and  kindly 
as  it  was  keen. 

[200] 


MITO    STRIKES 

"Woroto  Sama  is  far  different  in  appearance 
from  the  hairy  tojin  that  I  have  seen  on  the  black 
ships,"  he  said.  "The  august  Prince  of  Owari 
has  told  me  the  deeds  of  his  guest.  My  regret 
is  doubled." 

Yoritomo  glanced  inquiringly  at  his  father,  who 
explained  with  utmost  calmness  of  tone  and  man 
ner:  "Our  noble  friend,  the  Daimio  of  Satsuma, 
has  received  the  command  of  the  Shogunate  to 
bring  the  heir  of  Owari  and  the  tojin  lord  before 
the  High  Court  in  netted  norimons" 

In  a  flash  Yoritomo  drew  open  his  robes  below 
the  girdle  and  placed  the  point  of  his  dirk  to  his 
side,  ready  for  the  fatal  cross  cut.  Calm  and 
steady  as  if  cast  in  bronze,  he  looked  up  at  his 
father  for  the  signal  to  strike.  The  Prince  turned 
quietly  to  his  guest.  The  Daimio  sat  mute  and 
impassive.  The  Prince  faced  the  counsellors, 
who  consulted  together  for  what  seemed  to  me 
an  age  of  hideous  suspense.  Yet  throughout  it 
all  the  Prince  and  the  Daimio  waited,  to  all 
appearance  as  apathetic  as  lumps  of  clay,  while 
my  friend  crouched,  no  less  impassive  in  look, 
the  cruel  knife  held  ready  to  rend  his  loins  in 
dreadful  self-immolation. 

At  last  the  karo  spoke,  in  a  voice  devoid  of 
all  emotion.  ;'The  words  of  the  august  lords 
have  been  heard  and  considered.  Humble  counsel 
is  given  that  Yoritomo  Sama  should  bear  the 

[201  ] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

present  shame  and  should  risk  appearance  before 
the  High  Court.  To  commit  hara-kiri  now  would 
save  his  personal  honor.  It  would  not  be  proof 
of  sincerity  should  doubt  be  expressed  as  to  his 
motive  in  presenting  the  memorial  to  His  Highness 
the  Shogun." 

The  Prince  nodded  in  assent.  Yoritomo  still 
waited. 

"  Does  the  Shogun  know  of  this  order?  "  he  asked. 

"That  we  have  yet  to  learn,"  answered  the 
Prince.  :'The  risk  is  great.  So  also  is  the  chance 
of  great  gain." 

Yoritomo  sheathed  his  dirk,  and  tendered  both 
it  and  his  sword  to  the  Daimio.  I  offered  my 
sword  and  dirk.  The  Daimio  smiled  gravely, 
and  waved  them  back  with  his  fan. 

"We  shall  all  lay  aside  our  swords  when  we 
enter  the  presence  of  the  High  Court,"  he  said. 

The  Prince  clapped  his  hands,  and  attendants 
entered  to  take  up  the  swords  of  the  four  lords. 
The  Prince  himself  escorted  his  powerful  guest 
to  the  state  portico,  Yoritomo  and  I  following 
close  after.  At  the  entrance,  norimons  with 
Satsuma  bearers  and  guards  were  stationed  in 
waiting  for  us  before  the  gold-lacquered  palanquin 
of  the  Daimio.  With  no  other  display  of  feeling 
than  the  required  smile  of  etiquette,  we  took  leave 
of  the  Prince,  slipped  our  swords  into  our  girdles 
and  entered  our  norimons. 


MITO    STRIKES 

The  head  of  the  cortege  passed  out  into  the 
great  courtyard  and  through  the  massive  gateway, 
followed  by  Yoritomo's  norimon  and  then  by 
my  own,  each  surrounded  by  a  guard  of  stalwart 
Satsuma  men.  The  Daimio  came  after  us,  near 
the  end  of  the  procession.  Outside  the  gateway 
the  heralds  began  to  chant  a  monotonous  cry: 
" Shi-ta-ni-iro!  shi-ta-ni-iro!  --  kneel  down!  kneel 
down." 

As  my  norimon  swung  around,  I  peered  out  and 
saw  the  standard  bearers  carrying  the  insignia  of 
their  lord  on  tall  shafts.  The  Daimio  of  Satsuma 
was  making  a  state  progress.  The  thought  that 
we  were  in  the  charge  of  the  most  powerful  of  all 
the  daimios,  and  that  he  was  our  friend,  reassured 
my  apprehensions  of  the  coming  ordeal.  I  drew 
a  sigh  of  relief,  and  was  about  to  settle  back  in 
my  narrow  box,  when  something  struck  lightly 
across  the  norimon  and  fell  down  over  the  windows. 
I  peered  out  again,  and  saw  the  meshes  of  a  net. 


[203] 


CHAPTER  XVII --IN   THE   PIT  OF    TORMENT 

THE    ride    would  have  been  tedious  at 
best.  With  that  symbolic  net  hung  over 
me,    it     was     well-nigh    unendurable. 
More    than    once    the    indignity    of 
being    paraded  as  a  prisoner  through 
the  aristocratic  section  of  Yedo  all  but  overpowered 
my  self-control.     Only  by  the  severest  repression 
was    I    able    to    constrain    myself   from    drawing 
sword  and  cutting  my  way  out  of  my  enmeshed 
palanquin.     The  saving  thought  was  that  Satsuma 
had  left  us  our  swords  and  that  the  net  did  not 
necessarily  imply  degradation. 

With  the  heralds  ever  chanting  their  cry, 
"Kneel  down!  kneel  down!"  we  marched  in  solemn 
state  into  the  official  quarter  and  slantingly 
across  it,  past  the  great  Sakaruda  Gate  where 
we  had  parted  from  the  cortege  of  the  Princess, 
to  a  gate  in  the  angle  of  the  moat,  half  a  mile 
beyond.  Here  I  expected  an  order  for  us  to 
dismount  and  enter  afoot.  But  the  gate  led  us 
into  the  Second  Castle,  which  is  the  separately 
moated  portion  of  the  official  quarter,  lying  along 
the  east  side  of  the  citadel. 

We  now  had  to  go  only  a  short  distance  to  reach 
[204] 


IN    THE    PIT    OF    TORMENT 

the  yashiki  in  which  the  magistrates  of  the  Supreme 
or  High  Court  held  their  sessions.  As  prisoners 
of  high  rank,  we  were  carried  in  through  the  gate 
way  and  across  the  courtyard  to  the  portico. 
The  Daimio  followed  in  state.  When  he  had 
stepped  out  upon  the  mats  laid  for  him  by  the 
hatamoto  attendants  of  the  court,  the  nets  were 
removed  from  our  norimons,  and  we  were  cour 
teously  assisted  to  alight  beside  the  Daimio.  At 
a  sign  from  him,  we  handed  over  our  swords  and 
dirks  to  a  pair  of  his  own  retainers,  while  he  gave 
his  sword  alone  into  the  keeping  of  one  of  the 
hatamotos. 

With  this  we  were  ushered  after  the  Daimio 
into  a  waiting-room  and  served  with  tea  and  rice 
cakes,  —  an  extreme  of  ceremonial  hospitality 
for  which  I  felt  more  impatience  than  gratitude. 
We  had  good  reason  to  believe  that  those  who  so 
politely  entertained  us  were  our  enemies,  —  that 
we  were  going  before  a  prejudiced  court.  I  won 
dered  how  Yoritomo  couJd  preserve  his  tranquil 
bearing.  For  myself  I  found  much  difficulty  in 
imitating  the  austere  solemnity  of  Satsuma,  whose 
deportment  I  had  resolved  to  copy.  In  my 
perturbed  state  of  mind,  the  task  was  by  no  means 
easy,  yet  I  succeeded  so  far  as  visibly  to  impress 
the  hatamotos  with  the  dignity  of  the  tojin  lord. 

At  last  wre  were  summoned  into  the  presence 
of  the  court.  The  trial  chamber  was  an  apart- 

[205] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

ment  of  medium  size,  divided  into  a  stone-paved 
pit,  level  with  the  ground  below  the  mansion, 
and  a  matted  platform  or  continuation  of  the  house 
floor,  three  or  four  feet  higher  than  the  pit  bottom. 
Upon  the  centre  of  the  platform  sat  the  magistrates 
in  a  row,  with  several  court  secretaries  or  reporters 
on  their  right. 

Turning  my  glance  from  the  judges,  I  stared 
down  into  the  space  before  them  with  a  thrill 
of  horror.  Along  the  walls  of  the  pit  were  ranged 
grotesquely  modelled  instruments  and  machines, 
the  very  shape  of  which  was  a  menace  and  a 
torment.  Before  them  stood  guards  armed  with 
hooked  and  forked  implements  used  to  entangle 
and  pin  down  unruly  prisoners.  Worst  of  all 
were  the  three  men  of  the  eta,  or  pariah  class, 
who  knelt  beside  a  post  in  the  centre  of  the  pit, 
grim  and  silent,  their  cotton  robes  tucked  up  into 
their  girdles,  their  corded  arms  bared  to  the 
shoulder. 

The  three  swordbearers  knelt  in  a  corner, 
while  Satsuma  was  conducted  to  a  cushion  on 
the  left  of  the  magistrates.  He  seated  himself 
and  exchanged  bows  with  a  lean,  cold-faced  daimio 
who  had  preceded  him.  A  hatamoto  signed  us 
to  descend  a  steep  flight  of  steps  into  the  pit. 
Without  a  shadow  of  change  in  his  serene  face, 
Yoritomo  led  the  way  down.  At  the  bottom, 
attendants  slipped  lacquered  clogs  upon  our 

[206] 


IN    THE    PIT    OF    TORMENT 

feet,  that  we  might  not  soil  our  silk  foot-mittens 
upon  the  stone  flagging. 

We  halted  near  the  steps,  yet  close  enough  to 
the  post  where  the  pariahs  stood  for  me  to  see 
a  splotch  of  fresh  blood  on  the  black-stained 
flagstones  at  its  foot.  Yoritomo  saw  me 
shudder,  and  whispered  reassuringly,  in  English 
"Remember,  brother,  we  have  the  pistols,  and 
there  will  be  no  attempt  at  torture  if  we  tell  the 
truth.  Conceal  nothing  except  our  knowledge 
of  Keiki's  plot." 

I  drewr  in  a  deep  breath,  and  turned  my  gaze 
away  from  the  pit,  to  look  at  the  magistrates. 
They  were  studying  me  with  a  supercilious  curios 
ity  such  as  a  lady  of  fashion  might  exhibit  while 
viewing  a  painted  savage.  Pride  spurred  me 
out  of  the  black  mood  of  horror  and  despair 
into  which  I  had  sunk.  With  chin  uplifted,  I 
returned  the  insolence  of  the  judges  in  a  contemp 
tuous  glance.  Yet  intense  as  was  my  anger,  I 
found  myself  almost  disconcerted  when  I  met  the 
gaze  of  the  daimio  beside  Satsuma.  His  face  was 
as  immobile  as  a  death-mask,  and  his  dull  eyes 
peered  out  at  me  through  the  narrow  lids  with  a 
glassy  stare,  as  cold  and  emotionless  as  the  eyes 
of  a  corpse. 

"Who  is  that  beside  your  friend?"  I  muttered. 
'The  chief  of  the  Elder  Council,"   whispered 
Yoritomo. 

[207] 


I  stared  closer  at  the  repellent  face.  This, 
then,  was  Midzuano  Echizen-no-kami,  the  Shogun's 
grand  vizier  or  premier,  —  our  enemy  and  the 
friend  of  Mito.  What  chance  had  we  of  a  fair 
trial  before  a  court  influenced  if  not  overawed  by 
the  ally  of  those  who  sought  our  destruction? 
According  to  the  ancient  law  of  the  land,  we  had 
committed  deeds  punishable  with  death.  What 
possibility  could  there  be  for  us  to  escape  con 
demnation  by  a  court  acting  in  the  interests  of 
our  enemies? 

"Yoritomo,  son  of  Owari  dono ! "  called  one  of  the 
secretaries,  and  he  signed  with  his  fan. 

Yoritomo  stepped  forward  before  the  judges, 
and  bowed  to  them  with  grave  dignity.  Another 
secretary  lifted  a  sheet  of  writing  to  his  forehead, 
and  read  slowly:  "Charges  have  been  made  that 
Yoritomo,  son  of  Owari  dono,  left  the  shores  of 
Nippon;  that  he  has  returned  to  the  shores  of 
Nippon  from  the  land&r  of  the  tojins;  and  that  he 
has  brought  with  him  into  the  country  a  tojin 
who  belongs  to  the  evil  sect." 

The  reading  of  the  brief  indictment  was  followed 
by  a  profound  hush,  in  which  the  only  sound  I 
could  hear  was  the  quick  drumming  of  my  heart. 
The  silence  was  broken  by  one  of  the  magistrates, 
who  leaned  forward  and  asked  sharply:  "What 
has  Yoritomo  Sama  to  say  to  the  charges?" 

The  secretaries  wetted  their  inkbrushes  and 
[208] 


IN    THE    PIT    OF    TORMENT 

wrote  down  the  question  with  swift  strokes. 
They  did  not  have  long  to  wait  for  Yoritomo's 
answer.  He  smiled  up  into  the  faces  of  those 
who  were  about  to  condemn  him,  and  replied 
without  a  trace  of  hesitancy: 

"Regarding  the  first  and  second  charges,  no 
proof  can  be  brought  forward  by  the  august 
court,  yet  I  speak  freely  the  truth.  Many  years 
have  passed  since  word  came  from  Nagasaki  how 
the  hairy  tojins  had  humbled  the  pride  of  the 
arrogant  Chinese  and  forced  them  with  cannon- 
balls  to  open  their  ports  to  tojin  trade.  That  is 
well  known  to  all  men  of  samurai  blood." 

"It  is  well  known,"  assented  the  magis 
trate. 

Yoritomo  bowed,  and  continued:  "When  I 
had  attained  to  manhood  I  chanced  upon  a  full 
account  of  the  tojin  victory  and  China's  humilia 
tion.  The  realization  that  a  like  humiliation 
might  come  to  the  sacred  Empire  of  the  Rising 
Sun  sobered  me  in  the  midst  of  drunken  revels. 
I  put  on  pilgrim  dress  and  journeyed  to  the  holy 
shrine  of  Ise.  There  I  prayed  for  enlightenment. 
The  High  Ones  sent  me  a  vision,  in  which  I  was 
directed  to  cross  the  seas  and  learn  the  secrets 
of  tojin  power.  I  waited  my  opportunity,  and 
embarked  in  one  of  the  black  ships." 

"Your  accomplices?"  demanded  the  magistrate 
who  had  spoken  before. 

[209] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"I  had  no  accomplices.  I  boarded  the  black 
ship  unknown  to  any  person  in  Nippon." 

"Was  this  at  Nagasaki,  on  the  Dutch  ship,  or  on 
one  of  the  Chinese  junks?  "  asked  another  magistrate. 

"On  neither,  nor  was  it  at  Nagasaki." 

"Where  was  it?"  queried  the  first  judge. 

r'That  is  not  to  be  told,"  replied  my  friend. 

The  magistrates  conferred  together  in  low 
murmurs.  After  a  time  one  of  them  signed  with 
his  fan  to  the  torturers.  As  the  men  advanced, 
Yoritomo  folded  his  arms  and  faced  them.  Though 
I  knew  his  hand  was  gripped  on  the  revolver  under 
the  edge  of  his  robe,  there  was  no  shade  of  change 
perceptible  in  his  serene  face.  I  folded  my  arms 
and  reached  in  to  grip  my  own  revolver. 

The  magistrate  nearest  Midzuano  Echizen-no- 
kami  leaned  towards  him  as  though  to  catch  some 
faintly  whispered  remark.  The  leading  torturer 
reached  out  to  grasp  Yoritomo's  shoulder.  The 
magistrate  raised  his  fan  in  a  restraining  gesture, 
and  said  authoritatively:  "Let  the  point  rest 
for  the  present.  The  prisoner  has  confessed  to 
the  first  charge.  Make  note  that,  according  to 
his  own  statement,  he  left  the  shores  of  Nippon. 
He  was  not  driven  to  sea  by  storm,  but  boarded 
a  ship  of  the  tojins  and  sailed  from  Nippon  of 
his  own  free  will." 

"Under  the  guidance  of  the  gods  and  for  the 
sake  of  the  holy  Mikado,"  added  Yoritomo. 

[210] 


IN    THE    PIT    OF    TORMENT 

One  of  the  judges  murmured  a  protest,  but  the 
last  speaker  signed  to  the  secretaries.  "Write 
down  the  claim  of  the  prisoner,"  he  ordered. 
"Regarding  the  second  charge,  it  is  proved  by 
the  confession  of  the  first.  Yoritomo,  son  of 
Owari  dono,  left  the  shores  of  Nippon.  He  now 
stands  before  us.  Therefore  he  has  returned  to 
Nippon.  There  remains  the  third  charge." 

"First,  as  to  my  return  to  Nippon,"  replied 
Yoritomo,  "I  make  defence  that,  having  learned 
much  of  the  tojin  peoples  and  their  power,  I  come 
back,  not  in  defiance  of  the  edict,  but  as  a  loyal 
subject,  to  counsel  the  Shogunate  against  the 
mistakes  of  misinformation." 

"Make  note  that  the  prisoner  confesses  his 
return  to  Nippon  for  the  purpose  of  counselling 
the  Shogunate  with  the  forbidden  knowledge 
of  the  barbarians,"  said  the  magistrate  nearest 
Midzuano.  He  turned  to  Yoritomo  and  repeated : 
"There  remains  the  third  charge." 

;'The  third  charge  is  false,"  replied  my  friend. 
"Adamisu  Woroto,  my  august  tojin  kinsman, 
is  not  a  member  of  the  evil  sect." 

;t  Your  kinsman?" 

"My  kinsman,"  repeated  Yoritomo,  and  he 
gave  a  terse  account  of  Will  Adams,  his  relations 
with  the  great  lyeyasu,  and  his  descendants. 

The  magistrates  listened  with  intense  interest, 
but  the  recital,  instead  of  softening  them,  seemed 

[211] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

to  quicken  their  suspicions.  One  of  them  signed 
to  the  torturers  and  commanded:  "Bring  the 
fumie." 

Again  I  gripped  my  revolver,  certain  that  the 
time  had  come.  My  first  ball  should  rid  the 
world  of  the  corpse-eyed  Chief  Counsellor  Mid- 
zuano;  after  that  as  many  of  the  perjured  judges 
as  there  might  be  time  to  remove  from  office 
before  the  need  of  putting  a  ball  through  my  own 
brain  —  How  could  Yoritomo  stand  so  serene ! 

One  of  the  torturers  hastened  across  the  pit, 
and  returned  with  a  bronze  plate,  which  he  cast 
down  on  the  stone  flagging  before  my  friend. 

'' Tread!"  commanded  a  judge. 

Yoritomo  smiled,  and  struck  the  face  of  the 
plate  with  one  of  his  clogs.  A  slight  smile 
gleamed  across  the  heavy  face  of  Satsuma. 
Midzuano  betrayed  no  sign  either  of  relief  or 
disappointment.  The  magistrates  conferred.  The 
one  who  had  spoken  at  the  beginning  of  the  trial 
nodded  to  the  secretaries.  "Make  full  note  that 
the  prisoner  denies  the  third  charge  and  has  trod 
upon  the  image.  He  may  step  aside." 

As  Yoritomo  crossed  to  the  far  end  of  the  pit, 
the  judge  signed  to  me  with  his  fan  to  come 
forward.  I  advanced  and  stood  facing  the  magis 
trates,  with  head  high  and  arms  folded.  Little 
did  they  suspect  that  their  fate  was  in  my  hands, 
not  mine  in  theirs.  Angered  by  the  defiant  stare 

[2121 


IN    THE    PIT    OF    TORMENT 

of  my  blue  eyes,  the  youngest  judge  commanded 
harshly:  "Kneel  down,  white  devil!" 

"White  lords  do  not  kneel  to  the  servants  of 
a  servant,"  I  rejoined,  recalling  to  mind  that  in 
theory  if  not  in  practice  the  Shogun  is  the  servant 
of  the  Mikado. 

The  man  recoiled  before  my  angry  gaze,  fearful 
of  my  "  demon  "  eyes,  while  the  magistrate  next 
to  him  cried  out  his  indignation  at  my  insolence. 
But  an  elder  judge  quieted  his  colleagues  with  a 
gesture,  and  addressed  me  with  calm  severity: 
''The  barbarian  speaks  with  intolerable  insolence 
to  the  high  retainer  of  the  Shogun." 

"Civility  for  civility;  insolence  for  insolence," 
I  rejoined.  "He  called  me  'white  devil';  you 
call  me  *  barbarian. '  You  are  both  foolish  children, 
pitifully  ignorant  of  the  mighty  civilization  of  the 
tojin  peoples.  I  have  come  to  Nippon  with  Yori- 
tomo  Sama  - 

"Wait,"  he  interrupted,  "First  let  the  charges 
against  the  prisoner  be  read." 

A  secretary  raised  the  indictment  to  his  fore 
head,  and  murmured:  "Charges  are  made  that 
the  tojin  companion  of  Yoritomo,  son  of  Owari 
dono,  is  a  member  of  the  evil  sect;  that  he  has 
discharged  a  firearm  writhin  the  proscribed  limits 
about  Yedo;  and  that  he  is  a  spy  sent  to  Nippon 
by  the  barbarians." 

"Regarding  the  first  charge,  I  deny  that  I 
[  213  ] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

am  a  member  of  what  you  call  the  evil  sect," 
I  stated. 

One  of  the  judges  pointed  to  the  floor  beside 
me,  with  a  laconic  command:  "Tread!" 

I  looked  down  at  the  bronze  plate  upon  which 
Yoritomo  had  trod  so  readily.  On  its  smooth 
surface  was  incised  a  Latin  cross.  I  faced  my 
judges  again,  prepared  for  the  worst.  I  was  not 
a  Roman  Catholic,  —  nor  for  that  matter  a 
member  of  any  Christian  denomination,  —  but 
I  did  not  propose  to  spurn  that  symbol  with  my 
foot. 

"Denial  of  the  charge  has  been  made,"  I  said. 
:'The  word  of  a  tojin  daimio  is  sufficient.  I  will 
not  submit  to  a  foolish  ceremony." 

"Make  note,  the  prisoner  denies  the  first  charge, 
yet  refuses  to  tread  upon  the  image,"  called  the 
youngest  magistrate,  without  attempting  to  hide 
his  exultance.  "Bring  forward  the  witness  to 
the  second  charge.  —  Stand  aside,  barbarian!" 

As  I  crossed  to  Yoritomo,  one  of  the  guards 
drew  away  a  screen  at  the  edge  of  the  pit,  and 
exposed  to  view  a  clumsy  wooden  cage.  A  second 
guard  opened  the  cage.  From  within  crept  a 
half -naked  man.  The  guards  caught  him  on 
either  side  and  guided  his  tottering  steps  across 
to  the  torturers'  post.  Though  his  face  was  marked 
with  the  effects  of  atrocious  suffering,  I  knew  him 
at  a  glance.  He  was  Yuki,  the  captain  of  the 

[214] 


IN    THE    PIT    OF    TORMENT 

hatamoto  cortege,  now  beggared  and  degraded 
by  a  perverse  judgment.  The  freshly  healed 
gashes  on  his  chest  and  shoulders  confirmed  his 
identity. 

"Has  Yuki  the  ronin  thought  better  of  his 
obduracy?"  demanded  the  eldest  judge.  "If  so, 
let  him  look  upon  his  fellow-culprits,  and  speak 
the  full  truth." 

Yuki  gazed  at  us  for  several  moments  without 
betraying  a  sign  of  recognition. 

;'The  truth  has  been  spoken,"  he  said,  facing 
the  judges.  "When  the  cortege  in  my  charge 
was  attacked  by  the  ronins,  two  swordsmen 
in  monks'  robes  slew  many  of  the  evil  band  and 
put  the  survivors  to  shameful  flight.  There  is 
no  more  to  be  said  by  me." 

Instantly  two  of  the  torturers  seized  the  heroic 
victim  and  began  lashing  him  to  the  post.  The 
sight  was  more  than  I  could  endure.  I  sprang 
forward,  and  cried  out  to  the  merciless  judges: 
"Hold!  Question  me  first!  If  your  wish  is  to 
prove  the  second  charge  against  me,  I  admit 
that  I  used  a  firearm  - 

"The  prisoner  confesses  to  the  second  charge," 
commented  the  eldest  judge. 

"In  defence  of  your  Shogun's  daughter,"  I 
added.  "  Write  that  also." 

"Do  not  write,"  commanded  the  judge. 

"I  call  upon  the  Daimio  of  Satsuma  to  bear 
[215] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

witness,"  I  cried.  :'The  crime  charged  was 
committed  in  defence  of  the  Shogun's  daughter 
against  the  attack  of  evil  traitors,  yet  the  Shogun's 
magistrates  refuse  to  make  note  of  the  truth." 

"Let  the  claim  of  the  prisoner  be  noted,"  ordered 
the  judge. 

I  turned  eagerly  to  the  loyal  martyr  at  the 
post.  "Speak,  Yuki!"  I  urged.  "The  truth 
is  now  known.  Your  testimony  will  work  no 
further  harm." 

''There  is  no  more  to  be  said  by  me,"  he  replied. 
"I  saw  no  crime  committed  by  the  defenders  of 
the  Shogun's  daughter." 

The  deep  voice  of  Satsuma-no-kami  brought 
all  heads  towards  him:  "Permission  is  requested 
of  the  august  magistrates  to  ask  a  question." 

:'The  august  daimio  is  entreated  to  speak," 
murmured  one  of  the  judges. 

"Condescend  to  state  the  charge  against  the 
ronin  Yuki." 

'The  obdurate  witness  has  refused  to  testify 
regarding  the  second  charge  against  the  accused 
tojin." 

''The  charge  has  now  been  admitted.  The 
testimony  is  no  longer  required,"  remarked 
Satsuma. 

The  judges  conferred.  If  any  wished  to  carry 
on  the  martyrdom  of  their  victim  to  the  bitter 
end,  their  lust  for  cruelty  gave  way  before  the 

[216] 


IN    THE    PIT    OP    TORMENT 

general  eagerness  to  curry  favor  with  the  most 
powerful  of  all  daimios.  The  eldest  judge  bowed 
to  him,  and  responded  obsequiously:  "Wisdom 
flows  from  the  lips  of  Satsuma-no-kami !  The 
testimony  of  Yuki  the  ronin  is  no  longer  required. 
He  is  free  to  go." 

The  daimio  drew  out  his  sheathed  dirk,  and 
handing  it  to  an  attendant,  spoke  with  deliberate 
distinctness:  "Present  this  gift  to  Yuki,  the  brave 
and  loyal  ronin,  from  one  who  values  heroic 
conduct.  Ask  him  to  await  me  in  company  with 
my  retinue." 

The  torturers  had  already  loosened  their  cords. 
When  the  attendant  delivered  the  dirk  and  message, 
Yuki  faced  the  daimio,  and  holding  the  gift  above 
his  head,  kowtowed  until  his  forehead  touched 
the  bloodstained  stones.  He  rose  and  staggered 
across  the  pit  to  the  steps,  where  attendants 
hastened  forward  to  support  and  conduct  out  into 
the  open  the  man  favored  by  the  great  daimio. 
Even  the  magistrates  followed  the  departure  of 
their  tortured  victim  with  envious  glances. 

Only  Midzuano  the  Chief  Counsellor  had  not. 
been  diverted  by  this  touching  incident,  and  at 
a  whisper  from  him,  the  nearest  magistrate  called 
to  me  sharply:  'The  tojin  prisoner  has  yet  to 
answer  the  third  charge." 

I  stepped  back  before  the  centre  of  the  platform, 
and  replied:  "Instead  of  coming  to  Nippon  as 

[2171 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

a  spy,  I  accompanied  Yoritomo  Sama  my  friend 
for  the  purpose  of  warning  his  country  to  prepare 
for  the  appearance  of  my  country's  fleet." 

"Is,  then,  the  tojin  disloyal  to  his  country, 
that  he  asserts  friendship  for  Nippon?" 

:'The  warships  of  my  country  come  upon  a 
peaceful  mission.  In  loyalty  to  my  country 
and  no  less  in  friendship  to  Nippon,  I  have  come 
before  the  fleet  with  Yoritomo  Sama,  to  counsel 
acceptance  of  the  honorable  friendship  offered  to 
the  ruler  of  Dai  Nippon  by  the  exalted  ruler  of 
America." 

"  Intercourse  is  forbidden.  The  American  envoy 
will  find  the  ports  of  Nippon  closed  against  him." 

;'The  envoy  of  my  country  conies  half  around 
the  world,  with  a  stately  escort  of  warships  worthy 
his  rank  and  his  mission.  He  comes  in  peace, 
with  offers  of  friendship,  but  he  is  no  low  trades 
man,  to  be  turned  from  your  ports  without  a 
hearing.  Of  this  I  have  come  to  warn  Nippon. 
The  American  admiral  will  exact  a  respectful 
hearing." 

"Does  the  tojin  threaten?  Nagasaki  is  far 
from  Yedo.  Even  should  the  black  ships  venture 
into  Yedo  Bay,  none  but  the  smallest  craft  can 
come  within  a  great  distance  of  the  Shogun's 
city.  Can  the  cannon  of  the  black  ships  shoot 
so  far?" 

The  jeer  goaded  me  beyond  discretion.  I 
[218] 


IN    THE    PIT    OF    TORMENT 

rejoined:  "There  are  cities  on  the  shores  of  Nippon 
unguarded  by  shoals.  Can  the  Shogunate  defend 
them?  If  not,  what  of  the  prestige  of  the  Shogun 
ate  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  conspire  to  overthrow 
the  rule  of  the  Tokugawas?" 

Even  Midzuano  Echizen-no-kami  betrayed  his 
astonishment  at  so  audacious  a  rejoinder.  Perhaps 
he  was  stung  by  the  consciousness  of  guilt,  or 
rather,  by  the  fear  of  exposure.  He  leaned  across 
and  whispered  to  the  nearest  magistrate.  The 
latter  made  a  signal  with  his  fan,  and  commanded : 
"Enough.  There  is  no  need  of  enforced  examina 
tion.  The  prisoners  have  made  sufficient  con 
fession.  They  are  remanded  into  the  charge  of 
Shimadzu  Satsuma-no-kami,  to  be  brought  before 
the  High  Court  to-morrow  for  sentence." 

"For  sentence!"  I  cried,  too  indignant  and  angry 
to  feel  thankful  for  our  escape  from  all  attempts 
at  torture. 

Yoritomo  clattered  across  the  pit  pavement, 
and  led  me  to  the  foot  of  the  steps.  Satsuma  and 
the  swordbearers  had  risen.  We  shook  off  our 
clogs,  and  mounted  the  steps,  to  follow  the  Daimio 
out  of  that  chamber  of  judicial  torment. 


[219] 


CHAPTER   XVIII  -  -  THE   SHADOW   OF   DEATH 

WHEN  we  came  out  into  the  portico 
Satsuma  girded  on  his  own  sword 
and,   in   the  face  of  the  hatamoto 
officials,   ordered   our   swords  and 
dirks  to  be  returned   to  us.     We 
were  in  his  charge  and  not  yet  under  sentence. 
Next  he  called  Yuki,  the  ronin,  before  him,  and 
ascertained  that  the  injuries  suffered  by  the  brave 
man  from  the  torture,  though  fortunately  not  of 
a  permanent  character,  disabled  him  from  walking 
any    distance.     The   Daimio   demanded    the   use 
of  a  kago  from   the  hatamotos,  and   ordered  that 
the  injured  man  should  be  carried  before  us.    With 
the   kago,   the  hatamotos  fetched   the  sword   and 
dirk  which  had  been  taken  from  Yuki  upon  his 
imprisonment. 

Yoritomo  and  I  now  entered  our  norimons, 
across  which  the  symbolic  nets  were  again  flung, 
and  the  procession  marched  slowly  out  on  its 
way  to  the  nearest  Satsuma  yashiki.  I  surmised 
that  the  court  and  the  Council  of  Elders  had 
thought  to  flatter  the  Daimio  by  entrusting  him 
with  the  charge  of  the  heir  and  the  guest  of  the 
Prince  of  Owari.  If  so,  they  had  proved  their 

[220] 


THE    SHADOW    OF    DEATH 

ignorance  of  his  warm  friendship  for  Yoritomo, 
and  must  have  been  both  puzzled  and  chagrined 
at  his  courteous  bearing  towards  the  self-confessed 
breakers  of  the  law. 

On  the  other  hand,  I  jumped  to  the  rash  con 
clusion  that  the  great  Daimio  would  interpose 
himself  between  us  and  our  enemies,  and,  if 
necessary,  even  defy  the  court.  When  we  entered 
one  of  the  lesser  Satsuma  yashikls,  within  the 
official  quarter,  our  gaoler-host  could  not  have 
welcomed  us  beneath  his  roof  with  greater  state 
and  warmer  hospitality  had  we  been  visiting 
daimios.  Yoritomo,  still  in  mourning,  could  not 
be  present  at  entertainments.  But  I  was  free 
to  witness  the  clumsy  contests  of  the  Daimio's 
huge  and  bloated  wrestlers,  with  which  he  sought 
to  amuse  me  while  his  cooks  prepared  a  feast  in 
my  honor. 

After  a  formal  banquet  graced  by  the  exquisite 
dancing  of  geishas,  I  was  shown  to  the  apartment 
assigned  to  our  use,  much  exhilarated  by  the 
merriment  of  the  girls  and  the  many  thimblefuls 
of  hot  sake  that  they  had  served  me.  Though 
the  hour  was  close  upon  midnight,  I  found  my 
friend  kneeling  beside  his  silken  bedquilts,  with 
his  palms  clasped  in  prayerful  meditation. 

" Mon  Dieu!  what  a  long  face!"  I  laughed. 
''Get  up  and  dance  a  hornpipe  with  me,  Tomo- 
bomo!  Jig  till  the  lamps  tumble!  In  the  words 

[221] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

of  Perry's  great  brother, '  We  have  met  the  enemy, 
and  they  are  ours ! ' ' 

"You  do  not  understand,  brother,"  he  replied, 
in  a  tone  that  brought  my  dancing  feet  to  a  sudden 
stand.  "It  would  appear  that  we  have  escaped 
torture  in  our  examination.  You  forget  the 
many  tortures  inflicted  with  the  death  pen- 
ally." 

"Death  penalty!"  I  cried,  clutching  the  revolver 
through  the  folds  of  my  robe. 

"There  is  only  one  certain  way  of  escape  open  — 
a  ball  for  you;  for  me  hara-kiri,"  he  murmured. 

I  stared  in  bewilderment.  "Now?  But  Satsuma 
is  your  friend.  He  will  stand  between  - 

"He  cannot  save  us.  Even  he  dare  not  venture 
to  oppose  the  Shogunate  in  such  a  matter." 

"But—" 

"Our  only  chance  for  life  is  that  the  Shogun 
will  take  action.  The  sentence  of  the  court 
must  be  confirmed  by  the  seal  of  the  Council 
of  Elders." 

"Midzuano  has  that  ready,  up  his  sleeve,"  I 
interrupted,  with  forced  flippancy.  "So  we  are 
to  forestall  him  by  the  personal  application  of 
ball  and  blade?" 

"Not  now,  brother,  —  not  until  the  last  extrem 
ity.  The  Shogun  may  interpose  even  after  we 
have  been  led  out  to  the  execution  ground." 

"But  they  will  search  and  bind  us  —  we  will 


THE    SHADOW    OF    DEATH 

be  unable  to  avoid  the  torture  and  shame!"  I 
exclaimed. 

"I  must  risk  all,  for  the  chance  of  sealing  my 
memorial  with  my  blood.  For  you  there  is  the 
hope  of  dying  in  company  with  your  Princess.'* 

"Of  living  and  wedding  her!"  I  cried.  "Yet 
the  risk  of  waiting  till  the  last !  -  -  They  will 
surely  search  and  bind  us!" 

"Wait,"  he  replied,  and  he  sat  for  some  moments 
in  profound  thought.  At  the  end  he  clapped  his 
hands,  and  called  to  the  attendant  who  appeared : 
"The  presence  of  Yuki  the  ronin  is  desired." 

I  seated  myself  beside  my  friend,  and  waited 
with  such  patience  as  I  could  command.  Yoritomo 
returned  to  his  prayers.  Presently  a  screen  slipped 
open,  and  Yuki  entered,  dressed  in  new  silk  gar 
ments  and  already  somewhat  restored  to  strength 
by  the  food  and  skilful  treatment.  Though  just 
roused  from  the  midst  of  sleep,  he  came  to  us 
smiling,  and  kowtowed  with  courtly  politeness. 

"Ten  thousand  felicitous  years  to  Yoritomo 
Sama  and  to  the  tojin  lord!"  he  murmured. 
"Humble  thanks  are  offered  to  the  courageous 
swordsmen  who  saved  from  shame  the  daughter 
of  Minamoto  lyeyoshi  my  lord!" 

"The  heart  of  the  brave  samurai  is  loyal  even 
in  disgrace!"  commended  Yoritomo.  "Has  Sat- 
suma-no-kami  yet  offered  to  receive  the  ronin 
among  his  retainers?" 

[223] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Offer  has  not  been  made,  my  lord." 

"Your  parents  survive?     You  have  an  heir?" 

Yuki  bowed  to  each  question.  Yoritomo  nodded 
and  continued:  "Blessed  is  the  samurai  who  can 
give  his  life  to  lift  his  parents  from  beggary  to 
honored  affluence;  whose  heir  has  full  cause  to 
stand  before  the  mortuary  tablet  of  his  father 
with  grateful  reverence!  Offer  is  made  to  receive 
the  family  of  Yuki  the  ronin  into  the  service  of 
Owari." 

Yuki  kowtowed.  "The  condescension  of  my 
lord  is  above  the  acknowledgment  of  empty 
words.  Command  the  ronin  to  return  into  the 
hands  of  the  torturers!  His  gratitude  may  not 
be  expressed  by  the  sacrifice  of  mere  life." 

"Service,  not  martyrdom,  is  required,"  replied 
Yoritomo.  He  drew  the  revolver  from  his  bosom 
and  handed  it  to  the  ronin.  "Bear  this  in  hiding 
with  the  dirk  of  Satsuma.  To-morrow,  when  we 
come  from  the  court,  be  at  hand.  If  we  are  led 
out  to  execution,  follow.  Whatever  the  strength 
of  the  executioner's  guard,  your  part  is  to  strike 
when  I  call  to  you;  to  cut  our  bonds,  and  hold 
back  the  hatamotos  while  we  make  use  of  dirk 
and  pistol." 

''There  will  be  no  mistake.  Loyal  service  is 
the  joy  of  a  samurai"  responded  Yuki. 

Yoritomo  crossed  over  to  a  small  writing  table, 
wrote  swiftly,  and  marked  the  paper  with  his 

[224] 


THE    SHADOW    OF    DEATH 

seal.  He  returned  and  handed  the  writing  to 
the  ronin.  "At  sunrise  go  with  your  family  to 
the  Superior  Yashiki  of  Owari,  and  present  this 
to  my  august  father." 

Yuki  raised  the  writing  to  his  forehead,  kow 
towed,  and  withdrew. 

"What  a  man!"  I  exclaimed,  in  English. 
"Still  suffering  from  the  hellish  work  of  the 
torturers,  yet  willing  to  rush  to  certain  death  at 
a  word!" 

"Filial  piety  is  the  supreme  virtue,"  replied 
Yoritomo.  "He  will  serve  his  parents,  and  assure 
the  survival  of  his  family." 

"But  why  not  reward  him  for  what  he  has 
already  done?  He  has  suffered  enough.  Why 
not  instead  call  upon  one  or  more  of  your  own 
samurais?" 

''  Their  deed  would  be  attributed  to  my  father, 
and  he  will  have  enough  to  withstand  as  it  is. 
Upon  him  alone  will  rest  the  burden  of  barring 
the  return  of  Mito  to  power." 

"Upon  him!  and  he  disheartened  by  the  death 
of  your  brother  and  yourself!  You  see  no  hope 
for  us,  Tomo?" 

"Not  disheartened,  but  strengthened  by  the 
desire  for  vengeance.  Come,  we  must  rest." 

"  Rest?  "  I  exclaimed.  "  When  to-morrow  brings 
us  death,  if  not  torture!  I  had  trusted  to  the 
power  and  friendship  of  our  host.  But  now  - 

[225] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"You  have  sacrificed  yourself  for  the  good  of 
an  alien  people,  brother." 

"Not  altogether  alien,  Tomo.  I  have  found 
myself  strangely  drawn  to  your  people  and  customs 
-  only  this  torture  -  But  I  suppose  that  has  its 
place  in  testing  men's  souls.  Look  at  this  heroic 
Yuki!  If  by  any  chance  we  escape,  Tomo,  I 
want  that  man  for  my  retainer!" 

"If  we  escape  —  Namu  Amida  Butsu!"  mur 
mured  my  friend,  and  slipping  off  his  outer  robe, 
he  crept  under  the  silken  coverlet  of  the  bed. 

"Namu  Amida-  '  he  repeated,  and  fell  asleep 
in  the  midst  of  the  prayer. 

Between  his  tranquillizing  example  and  the 
soporific  after-effect  of  the  sake  I  had  drunk,  I  was 
soon  as  sound  asleep  as  Yoritomo,  and  enjoyed 
a  profound  and  refreshing  slumber  until  late  the 
following  morning. 

An  hour  before  noon  we  were  roused  and  waited 
upon  by  polite  attendants.  Having  been  bathed, 
dressed,  and  served  with  food,  all  with  a  marked 
observance  of  ceremonial  leisure,  we  were  ushered 
out  to  our  waiting  norimons.  In  the  portico 
our  host  greeted  us  with  utmost  gravity,  and  stated 
that  every  effort  of  Yoritomo 's  father  to  reach 
the  Shogun  by  message  or  in  person  had  been 
blocked  by  Midzuano. 

My  friend  smiled.  "It  wrould  seem,  Nariakira, 
that  I  am  to  go  a  little  sooner  than  I  had  expected. 

[226] 


THE    SHADOW    OF    DEATH 

Do  not  grieve  for  me.  You  know  that  I  had 
already  given  my  life  for  the  cause  before  I  came 
to  you  in  your  daimiate.  Consider  only  what 
effort  can  be  made  to  save  my  noble  tojin  brother." 

"There  is  always  hope  until  the  sword  falls,"  said 
the  Daimio.  "You  may  yet  be  saved  together." 

"I  am  doomed,"  replied  Yoritomo.  :'They 
will  execute  me,  if  only  as  the  son  of  my  father,  - 
as  the  heir  of  Owari.  But  Woroto  is  a  stranger 
to  the  opposing  clans.  They  should  be  satisfied 
to  send  him  to  Nagasaki  for  the  Dutch  ship  to 
bear  away,  as  it  has  borne  many  of  the  American 
sailors." 

"Not  so  fast,  Tomo!"  I  put  in.  "For  one 
thing,  I  shipped  with  you  for  the  cruise.  I  'm  not 
going  to  desert  now  because  we  're  on  a  lee  shore. 
For  another  thing,  the  Mito  party  is  not  going 
to  forgive  my  share  in  defeating  Keiki's  plot." 

"If  any  way  of  escape  could  be  found,"  said  the 
Daimio,  "Woroto  Sama  would  be  cordially 
welcomed  at  the  Castle  of  Kagoshima.  I  would 
rejoice  to  receive  and  honor  as  a  teacher  of  my 
samurais  a  tojin  lord  of  such  prowess  and  learning." 

"My  grateful  thanks  to  the  Daimio  of  Satsuma! 
But  I  have  cast  in  my  lot  with  my  friend  and 
brother  Yoritomo  Sama." 

"The  answer  of  a  true  samurai!"  commended 
the  Daimio. 

Yoritomo  flashed  me  a  swift  glance  of  affectionate 
[227] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

acknowledgment,  and  turned  to  enter  his  norimon. 
A  few  minutes  later  we  were  being  borne  again 
through  the  official  quarter  as  netted  prisoners 
in  the  stately  cortege  of  our  host. 

Near  the  yashiki  of  the  court  I  caught  sight 
of  a  samurai  crouched  in  the  shadow  of  the  wall. 
He  wore  a  deep-brimmed  hat  and  was  writing 
a  poem  on  a  long  scroll.  Though  he  did  not  look 
up,  I  knew  that  Yuki  the  ronin  was  at  hand  to 
perform  his  part. 

We  entered  the  yashiki  and,  having  handed  over 
our  swords  and  dirks,  were  at  once  conducted 
before  the  magistrate.  To  my  surprise  and  relief, 
the  court  was  convened  in  an  audience  chamber, 
not  in  the  horrible  trial  room.  As  before,  Mid- 
zuano  Echizen-no-kami,  the  Chief  of  the  Council 
of  Elders,  sat  at  the  left  of  the  magistrates. 
Satsuma  was  ushered  to  a  place  of  equal  honor. 

My  relief  was  short-lived.  I  caught  the  dull 
cold  stare  of  Midzuano.  Guards  with  man- 
catching  hooks  and  forks  closed  in  behind  us. 
We  were  led  to  the  sill  of  the  raised  floor  upon 
which  sat  the  judges  and  daimios. 

"Kneel  down!  Kowtow!"  commanded  one  of 
the  secretaries. 

"To  the  servants  of  the  Shogun,  the  servant  of 
the  Mikado!"  called  Yoritomo,  kneeling  and 
bowing  his  forehead  to  the  floor. 

I  knelt,  but  sat  erect  on  my  heels,  a  still  greater 
[228] 


insult  to  the  Shogunate  than  my  friend's  naming 
of  the  Shogun  as  the  servant  of  the  Mikado. 
There  was  an  angry  murmuring  among  the  judges. 
But  Midzuano  sat  unmoved  and  whispered  quietly 
to  his  servile  mouthpiece.  He  was  far  more 
desirous  of  our  destruction  than  our  disgrace, 
and  Satsuma  had  shown  sympathy  for  us.  It 
was  expedient  to  regard  the  feelings  of  the  greatest 
of  clan  lords. 

The  magistrate  beside  Midzuano  stilled  the 
heated  discussion  of  his  colleagues,  and  addressed 
us:  "The  son  of  Owari  dono  has  confirmed  the 
evidence  of  his  treason  by  his  insolent  reference 
to  the  great  Tycoon.  The  white  barbarian  has 
proved  his  uncouth  ignorance  of  etiquette.  Let 
the  sentences  against  the  prisoners  be  read." 

One  of  the  secretaries  lifted  a  scroll  to  his  fore 
head,  and  read:  "Yoritomo,  son  of  Owari  dono: 
Whereas,  contrary  to  the  explicit  wording  of  the 
ancient  edict,  you  voluntarily  departed  from  the 
shores  of  Dai  Nippon  and  returned,  bearing 
the  forbidden  knowledge  of  the  tojin  peoples, 
the  sentence  of  the  Court  is  that,  for  this  traitor 
ous  conduct,  you  shall  be  borne  to  Bell  Grove  in 
bonds,  there  to  be  bound  to  a  cross  and  transfixed 
with  spears,  and  after  death  your  head  shall  be 
struck  off  and  exposed  on  a  pole." 

In  the  midst  of  the  hush  that  followed  the  read 
ing,  Yoritomo  smiled,  bowed,  and  called  out  in 

[229] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

a  clear  voice:  "The  favor  of  the  high  magistrates 
will  be  remembered  by  Owari's  heir." 

The  judges  glanced  furtively  at  Midzuano, 
plainly  troubled  by  the  menace  beneath  the 
suavely  ironical  words.  The  Chief  Counsellor  sat 
cold  and  unmoved.  Another  secretary  raised  a 
scroll  to  his  forehead,  and  read : 

'The  tojin  called  Adamisu  Woroto:  Whereas, 
contrary  to  the  explicit  wording  of  the  ancient 
edict,  you,  a  tojin,  entered  the  domain  of  the  Sei- 
i-tai  Shogun  to  spy  upon  Dai  Nippon,  and  whereas 
you  have  confessed  to  discharging  a  firearm  within 
the  bounds  of  Yedo,  each  of  which  crimes  is  worthy 
of  death,  the  sentence  of  the  Court  is  that  you 
shall  be  borne  to  Bell  Grove  in  bonds,  there  to 
be  boiled  to  death  in  oil  - 

I  heard  no  more  of  the  hideous  sentence.  The 
sound  of  the  reader's  voice  dwindled  to  a  drone 
like  the  singing  of  insects.  I  swayed  forward, 
dizzy  and  pallid.  To  be  boiled  alive!  -  I  forgot 
Yuki,  but  I  remembered  the  revolver  in  my  bosom. 
A  cold  fury  of  despair  seized  upon  me.  I  would 
end  all,  now  while  I  had  the  chance  first  to  send 
to  hell  that  corpse-eyed  Chief  Counsellor. 

My  hand  stole  in  between  the  folds  of  my  robe. 
Not  a  moment  too  soon  to  stop  me,  I  heard  Yori- 
tomo's  piercing  whisper:  "Wait!  Not  now  — 
not  now!" 

The  magistrates  were  rising  to  leave  the  hall 
[230] 


THE    SHADOW    OF    DEATH 

of  audience.  But  Midzuano  remained  seated.  I 
paused  with  my  hand  gripped  on  the  butt  of  my 
revolver.  They  were  minor  officials,  —  mere  tools 
in  the  hands  of  our  enemies.  The  man  who  had 
dictated  their  actions  still  lingered.  I  could  wait. 

Midzuano  drew  from  his  sleeve  a  written  scroll 
and  a  seal,  and  called  for  a  brush  and  ink.  One 
of  the  secretaries  who  had  remained  brought  a 
tray  of  inks  and  brushes.  Midzuano  took  up  a 
brush,  dipped  it  in  a  saucer  of  freshly  ground  ink, 
and  unrolled  the  scroll. 

Satsuma  turned  his  powerful  face  squarely 
about  to  the  Chief  Counsellor.  "Is  Midzuano 
Echizen-no-kami  in  such  haste  to  issue  the  warrant 
of  the  Council  of  Elders  confirming  the  sentence 
against  the  prisoners?"  he  demanded. 

'Too  great  zeal  cannot  be  shown  in  ridding 
the  land  of  spies  and  traitors,"  replied  Midzuano, 
and  he  filled  in  a  blank  space  in  the  warrant  with 
swift  strokes  of  his  brush. 

"A  word  of  counsel  to  the  Counsellor,"  inter 
posed  Yoritomo. 

Two  of  the  guards  sprang  before  him.  Mid 
zuano  waved  them  aside.  He  did  not  lack  courage 
and  courtesy.  'The  condemned  men  are  free 
to  speak,"  he  said. 

"Midzuano  knows  that  two  of  the  charges 
against  the  tojin  prisoner  are  false,"  said  Yoritomo. 
"  Woroto  Sama  is  not  a  spy,  and  no  more  a  member 

[231  ] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

of  the  evil  sect  than  are  the  Dutch  at  Nagasaki, 
who  have  not  been  required  to  tread  upon  the 
cross  for  a  long  period.  Regarding  the  third 
charge,  the  act  confessed,  though  against  the 
letter  of  the  Shogun's  law,  was  committed  to  save 
the  Shogun's  daughter  from  the  shame  of  captivity. 
The  warships  of  the  prisoner's  august  ruler  will 
soon  appear  off  the  coast  of  Nippon.  Advice  is 
given  that  the  prisoner  be  honorably  delivered 
over  to  the  exalted  commander  of  the  American 
fleet!" 

"Nagasaki  is  far  from  Yedo.  The  hairy  bar 
barians  will  hear  nothing  regarding  their  country 
man,"  replied  Midzuano,  and  he  signed  the 
warrant. 

"The  counsellor  is  wise,"  I  jeered.  "He  is 
well  advised  to  stop  the  mouths  of  those  who  might 
tell  of  his  share  in  the  ronin  plot  against  the 
Princess." 

Midzuano  looked  down  the  room  at  me  with  his 
dead-alive  stare  for  a  full  half-minute. 

"A  false  move,  brother,"  whispered  Yoritomo. 
"Say  no  more!" 

Midzuano  picked  up  the  seal.  As  he  stamped 
it  in  the  ink,  the  floor  quivered  as  if  before  the 
precursor  of  an  earthquake.  An  instant  later 
the  air  resounded  with  the  clangorous  boom  of  a 
mighty  bell.  It  was  the  alarm  note  of  the  great 
bell  at  the  Temple  of  Zozoji.  Midzuano  paused 

[232] 


THE    SHADOW    OF    DEATH 

with  the  seal  suspended  above  our  death  war 
rant. 

There  was  a  scurry  in  the  anteroom,  and  a 
voice  cried  shrilly:  "The  barbarians!  —  the 
barbarians  have  come!  Woe  to  Nippon!  The 
black  ships  enter  Yedo  Bay!" 

Other  bells  were  joining  the  clamor  of  their 
harsher  notes  to  the  sonorous  thunder  from 
Zozoji. 

Without  a  trace  of  hesitancy  or  emotion, 
Midzuano  brought  the  suspended  seal  down  upon 
the  warrant.  The  man  was  samurai  bred.  He 
straightened  and  beckoned  to  the  captain  of  the 
hatamoto  guard.  Perry  had  come  —  and  in  the 
same  hour,  this  cold-blooded  Counsellor  would 
drag  us  out  to  shameful  execution!  I  began  to 
draw  my  revolver. 

k '  Wait,  brother !  Not  yet ! ' '  entreated  Yori tomo, 
above  the  thunderous  tocsin  of  the  alarm  bells. 

The  captain  knelt  to  receive  the  warrant.  I 
glanced  about  to  assure  myself  that  the  guard 
was  not  approaching  to  seize  us.  Once  in  their  grip, 
only  Yuki  would  stand  between  me  and  a  hideous 
death.  The  risk  of  his  failure  was  too  great.  I 
could  now  be  certain  of  myself  and  of  Midzuano 
as  well. 

A  hatamoto  was  approaching  us  from  the  rear. 
I  half  drew  my  revolver.  A  second  glance  showed 
me  that  the  man  was  not  one  of  the  guard,  but 

[233] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Gengo,  the  new  court  chamberlain.  He  walked 
arrogantly  up  the  chamber  to  the  place  of  highest 
honor,  before  the  tokonoma,  raised  a  scroll  to 
his  forehead,  and  kowtowed  with  his  back  to 
all  in  the  room.  Beams  and  floors  were  shaking 
and  screens  rattling  in  their  slots  with  the  boom 
of  temple  bells  and  the  wild  clang  of  firebells 
in  every  quarter  of  Yedo.  The  alarm  was  sweeping 
over  the  city  like  a  tidal  wave.  Yet  not  a  man 
about  us  stirred.  Every  eye  was  fixed  upon  the 
messenger  of  the  Shogun. 

Gengo  rose,  faced  about,  and  displayed  the  great 
vermilion  seal  of  his  master  upon  the  scroll.  All 
in  the  room,  from  the  humblest  samurai  among 
the  attendants  to  the  daimios  of  Satsuma  and 
Echizen,  kowtowed  before  the  emblem.  Gengo 
swelled  with  pride. 

"Give  heed  to  the  command  of  His  Highness 
the  Tycoon!"  he  shouted  above  the  booming 
of  the  bells,  and  he  cried  out  the  contents  of  the 
scroll:  "All  proceedings  against  Yoritomo,  son 
of  Owari  dono,  and  Woroto  Sanaa  the  tojin,  are 
annulled.  The  prisoners  are  freed  within  the 
outermost  boundaries  of  Yedo,  upon  the  recogni 
zance  of  Owari  dono.  Strict  obedience  is  required. 
Minamoto  lyeyoshi. " 


[234] 


CHAPTER  XIX  — THE   GARDEN  OF  AZAI 


I 


r  |  ^HE  draught  was  a  bitter  one  for  Mid- 
zuano  Echizen-no  kami.  He  thrust 
the  death  warrant  into  his  bosom, 
bowed  punctiliously  to  Gengo  and 
Satsuma,  and  rose  to  depart,  with 
the  excuse  that  he  must  call  a  meeting  of  the 
Council  of  Elders  to  consider  the  threatened 
invasion  of  the  barbarians.  Gengo  the  chamber 
lain  withdrew  immediately  afterwards,  too  puffed 
with  importance  to  acknowledge  the  nod  of 
Satsuma. 

With  the  disappearance  of  the  Shogun's  mes 
senger,  the  alarm  and  confusion  outside  the 
audience  chamber  seized  upon  the  hatamotos 
about  us.  Giving  way  to  the  terror  which  drove 
in  upon  them  with  the  din  of  the  bells  and  wild 
cries  from  all  parts  of  the  yashiki,  the  guardsmen 
flung  open  the  screens  and  rushed  out  in  a  panic 
of  fear. 

The  Daimio  rose  with  stately  composure,  and 
signed  us  to  follow  him.  We  went  out,  escorted 
only  by  our  Satsuma  swordbearers  and  the  hafa- 
moto  official  who,  as  bearer  of  the  Daimio's  sword, 

[235] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

had  been  restrained  by  his  duty  from  joining  the 
flight  of  his  fellow-retainers. 

The  harsh  clang  of  the  firebells  had  now  ceased, 
and  the  boom  of  the  temple  bells  reverberated 
at  less  frequent  intervals,  but  the  funereal  solemnity 
of  the  tolling  served  only  to  intensify  to  highest 
pitch  the  panic  effect  of  the  first  wild  tocsin.  To 
the  terrified  Japanese  it  was  the  knell  of  doom  for 
Yedo.  Excited  hatamotos  ran  about  at  random 
through  the  rooms  and  corridors  of  the  yashiki, 
their  faces  distorted  with  fury  and  despair,  while 
from  the  women's  quarters  shrill  voices  pierced 
the  frail  walls  of  the  palace  with  shrieks  of  terror. 
With  fear  run  riot  in  the  yashiki  of  the  High 
Court,  what  must  be  the  panic  beyond  the  moats 
of  the  official  quarter,  among  the  million  denizens 
of  the  lower  city! 

In  the  midst  of  the  wild  flurry  a  scowling  hata- 
moto  rushed  at  me,  with  furious  imprecations. 
But  as  his  blade  flashed  out  Yoritomo  flung  me 
headlong  away  from  the  stroke,  and  my  Satsuma 
swordbearer  rushed  to  my  defence.  My  assailant 
barely  saved  his  head  by  a  dexterous  parry.  Before 
he  could  strike  in  turn,  the  Daimio's  swordbearer 
called  out  a  sharp  command.  At  the  voice  of 
his  superior  officer,  the  assassin  leaped  back  and 
sheathed  his  sword.  My  defender  looked  to 
his  lord. 

Satsuma  frowned  at  the  hatamoto,  and  said 
[236] 


THE    GARDEN    OF    AZAI 

sternly:  "So  great  an  insult  cannot  be  endured 
even  in  the  yashiki  of  the  High  Court." 

"No!"  I  cried,  springing  up  between  the  man 
and  the  blade  that  circled  to  cut  him  down.  The 
Satsuma  man  checked  his  stroke  in  mid-air. 
"Sheathe  your  sword!"  I  commanded.  "The 
hatamoto  attacked  me  because  of  mistaken  loyalty. 
Let  the  samurais  of  Nippon  learn  that  my  country 
men  come  in  peace  and  friendship,  not  to  kill 
or  conquer." 

The  hatamoto  dropped  on  his  knees  and  kow 
towed  to  me.  But  Satsuma  shook  his  head 
doubtfully  and  signed  to  the  swordbearers.  "We 
will  prepare  against  other  efforts  of  mistaken 
loyalty." 

The  bearers  handed  over  our  swords,  and  we 
passed  on  out  to  the  portico.  The  courtyard 
was  crowded  with  shouting  hatamotos.  But  the 
Satsuma  men  of  our  cortege  stood  as  we  had  left 
them,  too  sternly  intent  upon  their  duty  to  give  way 
to  the  general  fear  and  flurry.  At  a  wrord  from 
the  Daimio,  the  nets  that  had  been  used  on  the 
norimons  of  Yoritomo  and  myself  were  flung  aside. 
We  seated  ourselves,  and  the  procession  left  the 
yashiki  with  all  its  usual  stateliness  of  parade, 
though  at  a  quickened  pace. 

A  few  yards  beyond  the  gateway  Yuki  was 
kneeling  at  the  edge  of  the  street-moat  to  watch 
us  pass.  I  saw  him  lean  forward  and  stare  at 

[237] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

our  norimons,  then  relax  and  sit  back  on  his  heels. 
He  had  perceived  from  the  strain  upon  our  bearers 
that  our  norimons  were  occupied.  Turning  a 
corner  some  distance  beyond,  I  looked  back 
and  saw  the  ronin  walking  after  the  rear  of  the 
procession,  with  a  woman  close  behind  him. 

The  streets  of  the  official  quarter  swarmed  with 
hatamotos  and  the  samurais  of  various  daimios, 
rushing  about,  afoot  or  mounted,  some  without 
aim  or  purpose,  others  racing  with  all  possible 
speed  and  directness  to  fulfil  the  commands  of 
their  lords.  In  the  midst  of  the  turmoil  a  captain 
of  the  palace  guard  galloped  up  to  the  procession 
with  an  order  for  Satsuma  to  wait  upon  the  Shogun. 
The  Daimio  immediately  detached  a  number  of 
his  retainers  to  escort  us  to  Owari  Yashiki,  and 
ordered  the  cortege  back  to  the  Sakaruda  Gate, 
which  had  just  been  passed. 

The  sun  was  setting  as  we  advanced  again  along 
the  great  causeway,  skirting  the  well-remembered 
scarp  of  the  citadel  moat.  This  time,  however, 
my  attention  was  directed,  not  towards  the  moat 
and  the  mighty  rampart  on  the  far  side,  but  to 
my  left,  whence  sounded  the  wild  din  and  turmoil 
of  a  city  in  panic. 

We  swung  up  a  slope.  From  the  crest,  far 
away  to  the  west-southwest,  I  caught  sight  of 
Fuji-yama's  grand  cone  rising  in  purple  majesty 
through  the  twilight,  while  to  the  southward  the 

[238] 


THE    GARDEN    OF    AZAI 

dark  sky  was  streaked  with  upshooting  red  and  blue 
meteors,  —  the  signal  rockets  sent  up  from  every 
headland  along  the  bay  shores.  Not  Yedo  alone 
was  panic-stricken. 

In  vain  I  strained  my  eyes  to  discern  the 
glimmer  of  ship  lights  on  the  vast  stretch  of  the 
gulf.  But  it  was  easy  to  imagine  the  majestic 
sight  of  the  great  steam  frigates  Susquehanna 
and  Mississippi  lying  at  anchor  with  their  con 
sorts,  in  the  lower  bay.  I  pictured  the  tiers 
of  gunports  triced  open  for  action,  and  the  grim 
guns  lurking  within,  charged  and  shotted  against 
treacherous  attack.  For  a  moment  I  felt  a  pang 
of  longing,  of  home-sickness  -  -  but  only  for  a 
moment.  I  had  cast  in  my  lot  with  Yoritomo. 

A  horseman  dashed  up  the  slope  after  us,  and 
drew  rein  beside  our  party,  with  a  loud  command 
to  halt.  The  Satsuma  men  came  to  a  sudden 
stand.  I  peered  out  and  saw  that  the  rider  was 
Gengo  the  court  chamberlain.  He  caught  sight 
of  me  between  the  parted  curtains,  and  bowed  low 
across  the  barbed  mane  of  his  horse. 

"The  presence  of  Woroto  Sama  is  required  at 
the  palace,"  he  called. 

At  a  word  from  me,  my  bearers  ranged  up  along 
side  the  other  norimon,  untiKI  was  within  arm's- 
length  of  my  friend's  out-peering  face. 

"You  heard,  Tomo,"  I  said  in  English.  "What 
does  it  mean?" 

[239] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

He  fixed  a  keen  gaze  upon  Gengo,  and  demanded : 
"Does  the  command  include  both  Woroto  Sama 
and  myself?" 

Gengo  bowed  low  as  he  replied:  "The  honored 
heir  of  Owari  is  still  in  mourning.  The  presence 
of  Woroto  Sama  is  alone  required." 

"At  once?" 

"Woroto  Sama  should  mount  his  led -horse." 

;'You  bear  a  written  order?" 

"The  matter  is  urgent.  Time  was  lacking  to 
write  an  order." 

Yoritomo  met  my  expectant  look  with  an  anxious 
frown.  "It  is  hard  to  tell,  brother,"  he  answered 
me  in  English.  "Had  he  brought  a  written 
command  -  Yet  in  all  this  wild  alarm,  even 
the  castle  must  be  in  a  turmoil.  They  may  want 
your  assurance  that  the  Commodore  comes  in 
peace." 

"Any  risk  to  tell  them  that!"  I  cried,  and  I 
called  to  my  escort:  "Open!  Fetch  sandals  and 
my  led -horse!" 

In  the  confusion  of  my  quick  scramble  out  of 
the  norimon  and  into  the  high-peaked  saddle, 
some  one  pressed  a  little  square  of  paper  into  my 
hand.  As  I  set  my  feet  deep  in  the  huge  stirrups, 
I  looked  about  and  saw  Yuki  slipping  out  from 
among  the  Satsuma  men.  Gengo  was  wheeling 
around  the  other  way.  My  fiery  little  stallion 
plunged  free  from  his  grooms,  and  to  gain  a  better 

[240] 


THE    GARDEN    OF    AZAI 

grip  of  the  bridle  I  thrust  Yuki's  note  into  my 
bosom.  A  moment  later  and  I  was  racing  madly 
back  along  the  causeway,  with  Gen  go  a  length  in 
the  lead,  yelling  for  all  to  clear  the  road.  After 
me  ran  the  Satsuma  grooms  who  had  charge  of 
my  horse. 

Down  the  slope  we  tore  at  breakneck  speed, 
through  the  midst  of  the  swarming  samurais. 
Nimbly  as  they  leaped  aside  at  Gengo's  commands, 
we  must  inevitably  have  run  over  more  than  one, 
had  the  roadway  been  less  broad  or  the  distance 
greater.  A  scant  minute  brought  us  to  the  bridge 
of  the  Sakaruda  Gate.  A  daimio's  procession 
was  coming  down  to  the  bridge  from  the  east. 
Regardless  of  its  standards,  we  cut  in  ahead  and 
galloped  across  the  bridge. 

At  the  gateway  Gengo  leaped  off  and  ran  forward 
to  speak  with  the  gate  warden.  The  latter  entered 
into  a  dispute  which,  though  soon  settled  by  Gengo, 
gave  my  grooms  time  to  come  panting  across 
the  bridge  after  us.  Gengo  hastened  back  to 
me,  and  cried  out  with  imperative  urgency: 
"Woroto  Sama  cannot  pass  unless  on  foot,  yet 
haste  is  required!" 

I  thought  it  no  time  for  insistence  upon  dignity. 
Carried  away  by  the  possibility  of  persuading 
the  Shogun  to  receive  my  countrymen  with  cordial 
ity,  I  sprang  off  as  the  Satsuma  men  grasped  my 
stallion's  bridle. 

[241] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Lead  on!  "I  cried. 

He  signed  to  the  Satsuma  men  to  return  with 
the  stallion.  "To  your  yashiki.  A  norimon  will 
be  provided  for  the  tojin  lord,"  he  explained, 
and  as  the  grooms  hastened  away,  he  led  his  own 
horse  forward  to  place  him  in  the  charge  of  a 
palace  groom. 

The  thought  flashed  upon  me  that  in  the  heat 
and  excitement  of  the  panic  the  sight  of  my  tojin 
eyes  might  cause  the  blades  of  other  assassins 
to  leap  from  their  scabbards,  or  at  best  cause 
serious  delays  in  our  advance.  I  squinted  my 
eyes,  and  followed  Gengo  with  my  chin  on  my 
breast.  Though  the  gate  watch  had  been  doubled, 
neither  my  height  nor  the  whiteness  of  my  forehead 
was  noticed  by  the  crowd  of  chattering  haiamotos 
through  which  we  forced  our  way  under  the  great 
gateway,  across  the  court,  and  below  the  inner 
gateway  on  the  right. 

As  we  issued  into  a  broad  plaza  within,  Gengo 
turned  on  his  heel.  For  a  moment  I  fancied  I  saw 
chagrin  and  bitter  disappointment  in  his  narrow 
eyes.  But  then  his  face  shone  with  the  blandest 
of  smiles,  and  I  told  myself  I  had  been  deceived  by 
the  gathering  twilight. 

"Woroto  Sama  is  wise  to  walk  humbly,"  he 
whispered.  "Let  him  continue  so,  and  he  will 
be  conducted  safely  past  all  these." 

I  followed  the  gesture  that  took  in  the  hundreds 
[242] 


THE    GARDEN    OF    AZAI 

of  palace  retainers  before  us,  and  replied:  "Lead 
on." 

He  turned  again  and  walked  swiftly  along  the 
edge  of  an  inner  moat  of  the  citadel.  I  followed 
through  the  midst  of  the  guards  and  other  palace 
attendants,  still  unchallenged  and  unheeded. 
Presently  Gengo  led  me  across  a  bridge  to  a  gate 
way  whose  guards  seemed  to  have  deserted  their 
post.  After  pausing  to  peer  about  in  an  odd 
manner,  my  guide  hurried  me  through  the  gate 
way  with  feverish  haste.  I  found  myself  in  one 
of  the  palace  gardens.  We  advanced  quickly 
along  a  narrow  clean-swept  path,  between  coppices 
tenanted  only  by  birds,  and  our  course  was  so 
full  of  irregular  twists  and  turns  that  I  soon  lost 
our  bearings. 

After  a  few  minutes  we  came  to  a  small  pagoda- 
roofed  kiosk,  or  summer-house,  in  the  midst 
of  a  grove  of  gnarled  old  cherry  trees.  It  was 
the  first  building  I  had  seen  in  the  garden,  though 
more  than  once  I  had  heard  voices,  which  led 
me  to  believe  that  we  had  passed  other  houses. 
Gengo  stopped  at  the  edge  of  the  kiosk  veranda, 
and  kowtowed. 

"Woroto  Sama  will  be  pleased  to  wait  here," 
he  said. 

Before  I  could  reply,  he  hurried  on  along  the 
path.  Within  the  toss  of  a  biscuit,  he  turned  a 
bend  and  disappeared.  I  seated  myself  on  the 

[243] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

edge  of  the  veranda,  and  waited.  About  me 
was  the  peaceful  hush  of  the  woods  with  its 
twittering  birds.  The  turmoil  of  the  terrified 
city  barely  reached  me  over  the  treetops.  But 
my  mood  jarred  with  this  sylvan  quietude.  I 
was  burning  with  impatience  to  reach  the  Shogun 
and  protest  the  absurdity  of  the  wild  panic  that 
had  seized  upon  his  people. 

I  sprang  up  and  paced  half  way  to  the  next 
turn  and  back  again,  observing  with  surprise  that 
objects  were  still  distinctly  visible  even  in  the 
shadow  of  the  coppice.  We  had  come  so  quickly 
from  where  I  had  parted  with  Yoritomo  that  a 
full  quarter-hour  of  twilight  yet  remained.  Gengo 
could  not  miss  his  way  for  lack  of  light.  Again 
I  paced  towards  the  turn  and  back.  As  I  rounded 
the  kiosk  I  glanced  down  the  path  by  which  we 
had  come.  At  the  last  bend  stood  an  armored 
hatamoto  with  drawn  sword. 

My  first  thought  was  that  the  man  must  be 
a  foreguard  of  the  Shogun.     I  waved  my  hand  to 
him.     In    the    same    instant   he    whirled    up    his 
sword,  and  called  fiercely:  "The  tojin!  the  tojin!- 
At  the  kiosk!     Upon  him!" 

"Kill  the  barbarian!  kill!  kill!"  yelled  voices 
behind  him,  and  as  the  leader  rushed  towards 
me,  other  swordsmen  charged  around  the  bend 
after  him,  half  a  score  or  more  in  the  first  bunch. 

Between  revolver  and  sword  I  might  possibly 
[244] 


THE    GARDEN    OF    AZAI 

have  checked  and  stood  off  that  number,  but  still 
others  yelled  in  the  path  behind  them,  —  and 
there  was  utmost  need  to  avoid  a  clash  with  the 
Shogun's  retainers.  I  turned  and  ran  up  the 
path,  hoping  to  overtake  Gengo.  The  hatamotos 
redoubled  their  yells,  and  dashed  after  me.  I 
twisted  around  the  turn,  and  saw  before  me,  less 
than  a  hundred  yards  away,  a  number  of  lance- 
men  charging  to  cut  off  my  retreat. 

The  silent  stealth  of  this  rear  attack  was  more 
appalling  than  the  open  charge  of  the  other  party. 
Had  these  lancemen  come  a  few  seconds  sooner 
I  would  have  been  taken  by  surprise  and  pierced 
by  their  long  shafts  without  warning.  Even  as 
it  was,  I  had  no  time  for  second  thought.  At 
the  view-cry  of  the  lancemen,  I  leaped  the  hedge 
of  clipped  privet  on  my  right,  and  plunged  straight 
into  the  coppice  beyond. 

Fortunately  my  sandals  were  bound  on  firmly, 
and  the  coppice,  while  dense  enough  to  screen 
me  after  a  dozen  yards,  was  of  willowy  shrubs 
that  did  not  catch  my  loose  garments  or  bar  my 
advance.  A  louder  outburst  of  yells  told  me  that 
the  two  parties  of  pursuers  had  met,  and  from  the 
crashing  that  followed,  I  knew  that  they  were 
beating  through  the  coppice  after  me  in  quickly 
scattering  formation.  Had  I  doubled,  they  would 
have  run  me  down  in  the  first  minute. 

I  kept  straight  on,  trusting  to  the  gathering 
[  245  ] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

gloom  to  hide  the  traces  of  my  flight,  and  to  the 
noise  of  the  pursuit  to  drown  the  thud  of  my 
iron-shod  sandals  on  the  turf.  Had  the  coppice 
continued  I  might  have  gained  enough  to  slip 
around  one  of  their  flanks  and  make  my  way 
back  by  the  path,  out  of  the  enclosure. 

But  within  fifty  yards  I  burst  out  of  the  thicket 
into  an  open  garden  that  lay  about  a  large  lotus 
pond.  Upon  an  island  in  the  centre  of  the  pond 
stood  a  kiosk,  approached  from  the  left  end  of  the 
pond  over  a  narrow  high-arched  bridge  of  bam 
boo.  Beyond,  towering  high  among  the  tree- 
tops,  rose  the  white  roof-crest  of  a  large  edifice. 
Beneath  that  crest  there  was  a  possibility  that 
I  might  find  a  palace  official  able  and  willing 
to  check  my  pursuers  and  conduct  me  to  the 
Shogun. 

Without  a  pause,  I  dashed  across  the  garden, 
veering  to  pass  around  the  left  end  of  the  pond. 
My  pursuers  were  closer  upon  me  than  I  had 
thought.  The  leaders,  who  had  been  running 
silently  through  the  coppice,  burst  out  almost 
on  my  heels.  The  exultant  note  of  their  view- 
cry  sent  me  clumping  down  towards  the  shore  of 
the  pond  at  redoubled  speed. 

For  a  while  I  gained  rapidly  on  the  hatamotos, 
the  mass  of  whom  broke  cover  soon  after  their 
leaders.  Their  exultant  cries  changed  to  furious 
imprecations  as  they  perceived  that  I  was  out- 

[246] 


Is  THIS  LOYAI.  SKUVICK?"  SHK  ASKKD 


THE    GARDEN    OF    AZAI 

running  them.  But  as  I  plunged  down  to  the 
pond  bank,  a  little  short  of  the  bridge,  I  was  dis 
mayed  to  find  that  one  of  the  thongs  of  my  right 
sandal  had  burst.  A  few  steps  more  would  find 
the  sandal  loose.  I  could  not  stop  to  refasten 
it,  nor  was  there  time  to  slash  the  thongs  of  both 
sandals  and  run  on  in  stockinged  feet. 

The  high  arch  of  the  bridge  caught  my  despair 
ing  glance.  I  swung  around  the  shore-post  and 
clattered  up  the  sharp  ascent  to  the  round  of  the 
arch.  The  bridge  was  very  narrow.  They  could 
approach  me  no  more  than  two  abreast.  I  would 
pick  them  off  at  the  foot  so  long  as  my  cartridges 
lasted  and  then  do  what  I  might  with  my  sword 
to  sell  my  life  dearly. 

As  I  gained  the  top  of  the  bridge  I  saw  a  woman 
dart  from  the  far  end  into  the  kiosk.  But  the 
foremost  of  my  pursuers  were  already  at  the 
pond  bank,  and  I  whirled  about,  with  drawn 
revolver,  to  face  them.  For  all  their  fierce  eager 
ness,  the  sight  of  the  threatening  muzzle  brought 
them  to  a  halt.  They  had  heard  of  the  defeat 
of  the  ronins.  The  leaders  checked  those  who 
followed,  and  all  gathered  at  the  foot  of  the 
bridge,  yelling  imprecations  at  the  tojin. 

"Murderers,"  I  shouted,  "set  foot  on  this 
bridge,  and  you  die!  Your  master  the  Shogun 
sent  for  me.  He  waits  for  me  now.  Go,  fetch 
Gengo  the  chamberlain." 

[247] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"  Liar !-- Fetch  bowmen  instead!"  cried  one 
of  the  leaders  of  the  mob. 

"Bowmen  and  musketeers!"  cried  another. 

"Down  with  the  bridge!"  yelled  a  third  leader. 

The  response  was  instant.  A  dozen  men  caught 
up  the  cry  and  sprang  into  the  pond  to  hack  at 
the  frail  supports  of  the  bridge  with  their  swords. 
I  sighted  my  revolver  at  the  foremost.  But 
before  I  could  fire,  several  pointed  up  and  cried 
to  their  fellows:  "Hold!  hold!" 

A  moment  later  all  were  kneeling,  even  those  in 
the  shallow  water  of  the  pond.  Something  brushed 
softly  against  my  sleeve.  I  turned  half  about. 
Beside  me  stood  the  Princess  Azai.  Her  hands 
were  folded  within  the  long  sleeves  of  her  scarlet 
kimono,  and  she  was  gazing  down  upon  the  mob  as 
tranquilly  as  if  contemplating  the  irises  in  the  pool. 

When  she  spoke  her  voice  was  barely  audible 
above  the  labored  breathing  of  the  hatamotos. 
"Is  this  loyal  service?"  she  asked.  '  "Let  explana 
tion  be  made  why  you  seek  to  murder  the  honored 
friend  of  your  lord." 

"The  august  lady  errs,"  ventured  one  of  the 
leaders.  "We  seek  to  rid  the  august  lady's 
garden  from  a  defiling  beast,  —  that  tojin  devil!" 

"Is  it  error  to  speak  highly  of  the  august  lord 
who  saved  your  master's  daughter  from  the 
shame  of  ronin  capture?  The  presence  of  Woroto 
Sama  honors  the  garden." 

[248] 


THE    GARDEN    OF    AZAI 

;'The  black  ships  of  the  barbarians  glide  up 
the  bay  against  wind  and  tide,  propelled  by  evil 
magic!"  cried  another  hatamoto.  "In  the  morn 
ing  they  will  destroy  all  Yedo  with  their  cannon. 
This  tojin  is  their  spy,  august  lady.  Give  him 
to  us!" 

"That  is  a  double  lie,"  I  rejoined,  "a  lie 
born  of  cowardice.  Every  man  among  you  knows 
that  the  black  ships  cannot  approach  near  enough 
to  Yedo  to  throw  a  cannon  ball  into  the  city." 

"Spy!"  hissed  the  mob.  "The  court  found 
you  guilty!" 

"And  the  Shogun  annulled  the  sentence!  Find 
Gengo,  and  learn  the  truth." 

"There  is  no  need,  my  lord,"  said  Azai,  and  she 
bowed  low  to  the  kneeling  hatamotos.  "  Permission 
is  given  to  withdraw." 

The  men  upon  the  bank  kowtowed.  Those  in 
the  water  waded  ashore.  All  set  off  across  the 
garden,  without  so  much  as  a  murmur. 


[249] 


CHAPTER  XX  -  -  LOVE  LAUGHS  AT  LOCKSMITHS 


f  HE  Princess  turned  slowly  about  to 
face  me,  with  no  change  in  the 
quiet  composure  of  her  bearing.  But 
as  her  soft  eyes  met  mine  their  long 
lashes  drooped  and  the  delicate  rose 
tint  of  her  cheeks  deepened  to  scarlet.  She  sank 
to  her  knees  and  bowed  with  exquisite  grace. 

;'The  august  lord  is  implored  to  pardon  the 
rudeness  of  the  hatamotos!"  she  murmured. 

:'The  tojin  implores  pardon  for  intruding  upon 
the  privacy  of  the  august  lady!"  I  replied. 

She  bent  forward.  "The  thong  of  my  lord's 
sandal  is  loose.  Permit  me  to  fasten  it." 

I  stepped  back  hastily  and  knelt  on  one  knee 
to  tie  the  thong  myself. 

:<The  request  cannot  be  granted,"  I  said. 
"In  my  land  it  is  etiquette  for  lords  to  fasten  the 
sandals  of  ladies;  not  the  reverse." 

"How  contrary  to  all  reason  and  propriety!" 
she  exclaimed,  and  she  gazed  up  at  me  with  a  look 
of  timid  wonderment. 

I  rose  and  offered  her  my  hand,  momentarily 
forgetful  of  etiquette.  She  sprang  up,  with  a 

[250] 


LOVE  LAUGHS  AT  LOCKSMITHS 

repellent   gesture   and    a   sharp   little   cry:    "No! 
Setsu!" 

"He  sought  to  touch  my  august  lady!"  hissed 
a  voice  behind  me. 

I  wheeled  and  confronted  the  younger  of  Azai's 
samurai  women,  standing  very  near  me,  with 
her  hand  on  the  hilt  of  her  dirk.  I  looked  steadily 
into  her  angry  eyes,  and  smiled  at  her  through  the 
gloom. 

"O  Setsu  San  will  believe  that  no  rudeness 
was  intended  by  the  ignorant  tojin"  I  said.  "In 
his  land  courtesy  requires  a  lord  to  offer  his  hand 
and  assist  a  lady  to  rise." 

O  Setsu  San  bowed  to  hide  her  amazement, 
and  murmured  to  her  mistress:  "Grant  permission 
for  me  to  conduct  the  tojin  lord  from  the  enclosure. 
The  presence  of  a  stranger  is  not  permissible." 

"Gengo  the  chamberlain  brought  me  into  this 
garden  and  left  me  at  the  summer-house  yonder," 
I  explained,  pointing  towards  the  coppice.  "My 
understanding  was  that  he  went  to  fetch  the 
Shogun  or  some  high  official.  Hardly  had  he 
gone  when  the  hatamotos  appeared  and  charged 
upon  me  without  provocation." 

"They  are  the  guard  from  the  nearest  gate," 
said  Azai.  "Such  rudeness  may  not  be  disre 
garded.  Command  will  be  sent  them  to  commit 
hara-kiri" 

"No!"  I  protested.      'They  erred  through  over- 
[251] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

zealous  loyalty,  misled,  I  suspect,  by  the  same 
plotters  who  set  the  ronins  upon  your  cortege." 

"Keiki!"  murmured  O  Setsu  San,  with  subtle 
intuition. 

"Keiki  —  and  others.  But  I  intrude  upon  the 
privacy  of  the  Princess.  Tell  me  which  way  I 
should  go  to  leave  the  enclosure." 

"Had  Gengo  orders  to  bring  you  into  the 
presence  of  my  august  father?"  inquired  Azai. 

"He  stated  that  my  presence  was  required  at 
the  palace.  Was  I  wrong  in  believing  that  the 
Shogun  had  sent  for  me?" 

Azai   looked   earnestly   at   her   lady-in-waiting. 

"Should  Woroto  Sanaa  attempt  to  pass  out 
alone,  he  would  be  slain!" 

"Grant  permission  for  me  to  lead  him  across 
into  the  palace,"  said  O  Setsu  San. 

"Would  your  presence  serve  to  shield  the  august 
lord  from  the  hatamotos?"  replied  the  Princess. 
"I  myself  will  conduct  him." 

"Impossible!"  gasped  Setsu,  in  open  dismay. 
"Even  for  the  daughter  of  the  Shogun  to  have 
come  between  the  angry  hatamotos  and  the  tojin 
sama  is  unbelievable!" 

"O  Setsu  San  will  be  so  kind  as  to  bring  my 
clogs,"  murmured  the  Princess  with  gentle 
courtesy. 

For  the  first  time  I  noticed  that  the  little  silk- 
clad  foot  peeping  from  under  the  edge  of  her 

[252] 


LOVELAUGHSAT  LOCKSMITHS 

kimono  was  without  clog  or  sandal.  When  Setsu 
ran  in  to  tell  of  the  chase  of  the  tojin,  her  mistress 
had  darted  out  and  up  the  bridge  to  my  rescue 
without  stopping  for  footwear. 

"Princess,"  I  said,  "O  Setsu  San  is  right. 
I  cannot  accept  the  offer." 

"My  lord  will  not  refuse  me  the  favor,"  she 
murmured,  with  a  smile  irresistibly  sweet  and 
naive.  "The  kind  O  Setsu  San  hastens  to  fetch 
my  clogs." 

Perceiving  the  inflexible  will  beneath  the  soft 
accents  of  her  mistress,  the  samurai  lady  turned 
to  patter  down  the  bridge.  I  was  alone  with  the 
Princess,  —  probably  the  first  man  to  be  alone 
with  an  unwedded  daughter  of  the  Shogun  for 
more  than  two  centuries!  I  dropped  on  one  knee 
to  look  into  her  modestly  lowered  eyes.  Through 
the  gathering  darkness  I  saw  a  deep  blush  mantle 
her  pale  cheeks  as  with  girlish  bashfulness  she 
raised  one  of  her  sleeves  to  hide  her  face. 

"Azai!"  I  murmured.  "Is  the  tojin  so  frightful 
an  object  to  you?" 

She  dropped  her  sleeve  and  gazed  at  me  wide- 
eyed,  in  instant  forgetfulness  of  self.  "Pardon 
the  rudeness!"  she  exclaimed.  "The  august  lord 
should  not  humble  himself  by  kneeling  to  a  girl!" 

"Azai,  forgive  me  for  the  great  rudeness,  but 
in  my  country  men  love  and  honor  pure  maidens  as 
they  love  and  honor  their  mothers,  and  it  is  the 

[2531 


custom  to  speak  of  that  love  even  before  marriage. 
Little  Princess,  I  have  been  told  that  your  august 
father  and  the  Prince  of  Owari  arranged  for  you  to 
wed  my  friend  Yoritomo  Sama.  But  my  friend 
has  vowed  to  become  a  monk  at  Zozoji,  and  he 
has  told  me  that  my  soul  shone  in  your  eyes. 
Azai,  I  love  you  with  a  love  higher  and  deeper 
than  any  man  of  Nippon  bears  towards  his  wife 
and  mother!" 

She  knelt  and  bowed  low  to  me.  "My  lord," 
she  whispered,  "it  is  unbelievable  that  so  great 
a  love  could  be  given  a  mere  girl!" 

"Your  soul  is  in  my  eyes,  Azai!  Say  that 
you  love  me!" 

"My  lord,  I  should  rejoice  to  be  accepted  as 
the  humblest  serving-maid  in  all  your  yashikist" 

14 You  love  me!"  I  cried,  and  drawing  her  up 
by  one  of  her  tiny  plump  hands,  I  bent  close. 
"In  my  land,  august  lady,  it  is  required  to  seal 
the  confession  of  love  in  this  manner." 

At  the  touch  of  my  lips  to  her  rosebud  mouth 
she  drew  back  with  a  startled  sob.  But  I 
resisted  her  gentle  efforts  to  withdraw  her  hand. 

"Do  you  not  trust  me,  Azai?"  I  asked,  bending 
to  watch  her  downcast  face  in  the  dim  light. 

"Shame  has  overcome  me!"  she  sobbed.  "No 
where  is  it  written  that  man  and  woman  should 
hold  one  another's  hands  or  touch  lips  together." 

"If  that  is  hateful  to  the  Princess  — " 
[254] 


LOVE  LAUGHS  AT  LOCKSMITHS 

"Not  hateful!  but  blissful  —  blissful  beyond 
words.  That  is  the  shame.  I  do  what  is  very, 
very  wrong,  yet  am  glad.  I  am  a  most  wicked 
and  depraved  girl!  Shame  overcomes  me!" 

"Forgive  me,  Azai!  Through  my  selfish  fault 
I  have  brought  grief  upon  the  maiden  whom  I 
love  more  than  life.  I  will  go  now,  and  never 
trouble  you  again." 

I  freed  her  hand  and  rose,  but  in  the  same  instant 
she  was  erect  before  me,  her  little  hands  clutching 
the  bosom  of  my  robes. 

''Thou!  thou!"  she  whispered.  "Do  not  go 
in  anger,  else  I  shall  die!" 

I  crushed  her  to  me  and  rained  kisses  upon  her 
upturned  face,  in  a  passion  of  adoration.  For  a 
few  brief  moments  of  ecstasy  I  held  her,  and  she 
made  no  attempt  to  free  herself,  but  lay  upon  my 
breast  like  a  captive  dove,  quivering  and  bewildered. 
Then,  all  too  soon  for  my  blissful  intoxication,  her 
cheeks  paled  from  scarlet  to  ivory  white  and  her 
fluttering  little  heart  beat  against  mine  with 
sudden  steadiness. 

"My  lord,"  she  said,  "there  is  no  time  to  be 
lost.  Setsu  comes  with  a  lantern.  We  must 
act  at  once.  Here  below  the  centre  of  the  bridge 
the  pond  is  deeper.  We  will  leap  in  together 
and  grasp  the  lotus  roots  at  the  bottom." 

"Leap  off? --grasp  the  lotus  roots?"  I  re 
peated. 

[255] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"My  lord  lover  is  of  noble  blood!  A  thousand 
pardons!  But  Setsu  comes  quickly.  Make  haste 
to  strike  me  through  the  neck  with  your  dirk. 
You  will  still  have  time  to  commit  hara-kiri" 

The  word  was  a  flash  of  clear  light  through  the 
fog  of  my  bewilderment. 

"No!"  I  cried.  "We  will  live,  to  be  united 
in  this  life!" 

"That  cannot  be,  my  lord!" 

"I  will  win  and  wed  you,  in  the  teeth  of  all 
Nippon!" 

"My  lord,  I-  Her  whisper  thrilled  with 

quick  alarm.  "Free  me  —  Setsu  —  she'll  kill 
you!  —  disgrace  —  a  girl's  dirk!" 

I  released  her,  and  turned  to  the  upward  hasten 
ing  Setsu  as  the  light  of  her  paper  lantern  glowed 
upon  us  through  the  darkness. 

"Pardon,  august  ones!"  she  called.  "The  char 
coal  had  burnt  out  and  the  tinder  was  misplaced. 
I  could  come  no  sooner." 

"You  have  done  well  to  come  so  soon," 
murmured  Azai. 

O  Setsu  raised  her  lantern  and  peered  at  me 
under  it  as  she  bowed.  Her  utter  devotion  to  the 
Princess  could  not  be  doubted.  I  felt  a  sudden 
impulse  to  risk  all  in  her  keeping. 

"Does  O  Setsu  San  desire  the  death  of  her 
Princess?"  I  asked. 

The  girl  grasped  at  her  dirk,  and  cast  a  swift 
[256] 


LOVE  LAUGHS  AT  LOCKSMITHS 

glance  from  me  to  Azai.  "Does  the  tojin  sama 
threaten?"  she  demanded. 

"Only  you  do  that,"  I  replied.  "Strike  me, 
and  your  dirk  will  pierce  through  my  heart  to 
hers." 

The  girl  stepped  nearer  to  her  mistress  and 
stared  at  her  dismayed. 

"The  truth  is  now  known  to  you,"  whispered 
Azai.  "We  love." 

Again  Setsu  grasped  her  dirk.  "Only  an  evil 
tojin  would  dare  speak  of  such  a  matter  to  the 
Shogun's  daughter!" 

Death  was  nearer  to  me  than  when  the  hatamoto 
struck  at  me  in  the  yashiki  of  the  High  Court. 

"Through  my  heart,  to  her  heart!"  I  repeated. 

The  girl  glanced  doubtfully  to  Azai.  I  forced 
a  smile.  "The  Princess  has  proposed  that  she 
and  I  should  unite  ourselves  by  passing  through 
the  gate  of  death.  I  have  answered  that  I  will 
wed  her  in  this  life." 

"The  tojin  is  unwilling  to  give  proof  as  to  the 
trueness  of  his  love,"  she  jeered. 

To  this  there  was  only  one  answer  that  could 
convince  her.  I  knelt  and  placed  the  point  of 
my  dirk  to  my  heart. 

"The  tojin  belief  is  that  sincerity  comes  from 
the  heart,"  I  said.  "Say  the  word,  and  I  will 
prove  my  love  without  asking  the  maiden  to 
sacrifice  herself  to  join  me.  I  trust  her  soul  to 

[257] 


find  mine  when  the  time  comes  for  her  to  leave 
this  life." 

There  was  no  pretence  in  my  words.  I  had 
lived  too  close  to  Yoritomo  to  escape  the  influence 
of  his  Buddhistic  philosophy  and  his  samurai 
contempt  for  death.  My  love  for  my  little 
Madonna  Princess  was  greater  than  my  love  of 
life,  and  I  knew  that  only  ia  love  equal  to  my  own 
could  have  enabled  her  to  overcome  the  extreme 
modesty  and  reserve  of  her  breeding.  I  believed 
that  death  would  unite  us  in  the  next  life,  if  not 
in  many  future  lives;  while,  if  Setsu  opposed  me, 
I  could  not  hope  to  win  my  darling  in  this  life. 

"Say  the  word,  girl!"  I    repeated. 

"Wait!  wait,  my  lord!"  cried  Azai,  and  she 
knelt  beside  me.  "First  free  me,  that  I  may  go 
with  you." 

;'You  will  follow  when  your  time  comes,"  I 
said.  "A  tojin  may  kill  the  woman  he  loves  only 
to  save  her  from  a  fate  worse  than  death." 

"Life  without  you,  my  lord!  —  what  harsher 
fate?" 

A  steel  blade  flashed  in  her  upraising  hand. 
I  caught  her  wrist,  as  she  drew  back  and  stabbed 
the  point  at  her  throat. 

;'Take  her  away,  Setsu!"  I  begged.  "She  must 
live  and  be  happy.  She  is  very  young." 

"The  men  of  Nippon  do  not  love  as  my  lord 
loves!"  murmured  the  samurai  girl.  "We  will  go 

[258] 


LOVELAUGHSATLOCKSMITHS 

before  with  the  light.  Let  him  follow  at  a  little 
distance.  The  darkness  deepens.  He  will  not  be 
seen  until  we  come  to  the  gate." 

Azai  rose  and  slipped  on  the  tiny  high  clogs 
of  gold  lacquer  that  were  held  for  her  by  the  kneel 
ing  girl.  She  bowed  to  me  from  the  miniature 
height  with  entrancing  grace. 

"I  beg  my  lord  to  rise  and  sheathe  his  dirk 
until  it  is  needed.  We  now  go  to  my  father." 

She  turned  and  pattered  quickly  down  the 
bridge  to  the  pond  bank,  while  Setsu,  following  half 
a  step  behind,  held  the  lantern  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  shed  no  light  to  the  rear.  I  slipped  my  dirk 
into  its  sheath  and  descended  after  them,  my 
thoughts  in  a  whirl  of  conflicting  emotions. 

From  the  edge  of  the  pond  the  little  Princess 
led  the  way  through  a  shrubbery,  along  a  winding 
path,  towards  the  edifice  I  had  seen  in  my  flight 
before  the  hatamotos.  We  soon  came  in  sight  of 
the  lanterns  strung  along  the  deep  verandas  of 
the  building.  But  Azai  turned  off  to  the  right, 
and  tripped  away  down  a  side  path  that  skirted 
around  her  palace. 

A  short  walk  brought  us  into  a  broad  avenue 
that  ran  up  to  a  high  bridge  across  one  of  the  inner 
moats  of  the  citadel.  Setsu  hastened  on  towards 
the  gateway  of  the  bridge.  Azai  paused  for  me 
to  overtake  her.  In  the  garden  path  there  had 
been  no  one  to  meet  or  pass;  now,  however,  there 

[259] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

rose  the  question  of  facing  the  guard  at  the  gate. 
When  I  came  up  close  beside  the  Princess  I  per 
ceived  the  outline  of  her  little  hands  before  her 
bosom,  clasped  palm  to  palm  in  prayer. 

"We  stop  here,  my  lord,"  she  whispered. 
"Setsu  goes  ahead  to  see  who  is  on  guard." 

"Azai,"  I  replied,  "for  you  to  appear  with  me 
is  too  great  a  sacrifice  of  your  dignity.  Press  your 
lips  to  mine,  and  say  farewell.  I  will  go  on 
alone." 

She  caught  at  my  sleeve.  "Wait,  my  lord! 
I  will  go  with  you.  There  is  only  this  little  time 
left  us.  When  my  father  learns,  I  fear  he  will 
forbid  me  even  to  dream  of  you.  They  have 
told  me  that  I  shall  be  required  to  wed  Keiki 
if  Midzuano's  counsel  prevails." 

"You  would  not  wed  the  man  who  set  the 
ronins  upon  you!" 

"A  good  daughter  should  obey  with  docility 
when  her  father  chooses  her  husband.  Yet  I 
have  never  before  heard  of  a  lady  meeting  a 
lord  and  loving  before  marriage,  as  I  love  my 
lord!" 

"Little  maiden!"  I  exclaimed,  "you  again 
confess  that  you  love  me!  How  can  you  speak 
of  wedding  another?" 

"My  lord  wonders?  Yet  he  knows  that  the 
supreme  duty  of  a  woman  is  willing  obedience,  — 
first  to  her  father,  then  to  her  husband,  and  last 

[260] 


LOVE  LAUGHS  AT  LOCKSMITHS 

of  all  to  her  eldest  son.  I  know  that  my  august 
father  holds  me  in  higher  regard  than  is  deserved 
by  so  worthless  and  contemptible  a  creature  as 
a  young  girl,  and  because  of  his  gracious  condescen 
sion  I  owe  him  the  utmost  of  gratitude  and 
obedience." 

"  You  will  wed  Keiki  if  your  father  commands?" 
I  asked. 

Her  voice  quavered.  "I  pray  to  Kwannon 
to  aid  me!  If  so  great  a  trial  comes  upon  me,  I 
fear  I  must  fail  in  the  one  great  virtue;  I  must 
oppose  the  will  of  my  father!" 

'You  will  refuse  Keiki,  and  wait  for  me, 
Azai?" 

"I  will  wait  for  you  in  the  life  beyond  - 

"Not  that!"  I  exclaimed  in  dismay,  "not 
that,  Azai!  Wait  for  me  here,  in  this  life!" 

"I  will  try,  my  lord.     Look!  Setsu  waves  her 
lantern.     We   can    pass    in    safety.     But    first  - 
if  my  lord  desires  to  press  his  lips  upon  mine, 
I  -- 1  will  not  seek  to  escape." 

Half  a  minute  later  she  sought  to  release  my 
embrace  with  her  gentle  fingers. 

"My  lord,"  she  whispered  tremulously,  "I 
never  knew  that  it  was  so  delightful  to  love !  It  is 
very  wicked  to  speak  so  foolishly,  yet  I  wish  that 
I  might  stand  forever  with  my  lord  as  we  stand 
now.  But  Setsu  turns  back.  We  must  go." 

[261] 


CHAPTER  XXI  —  JARRING  COUNSELLORS 

SETSU  met  us  midway,  but  turned   again 
the    moment    the    glow    of    her    lantern 
fell  upon  her  advancing  mistress.     Azai 
joined   her,   while   I    fell    back   into  the 
darkness.      When     the     maidens     came 
within   the   narrow   circle   of   light   shed   by   the 
gateway  lanterns,  Setsu  signed  me  to  stop.     They 
went  on  a  few  steps,  and  entered  the  gate  lodge. 
After  a  short  wait,  Setsu  reappeared  and  beckoned 
to  me. 

As  I  advanced  she  stepped  back  through  an 
opening  in  the  wooden  night  shutters  of  the 
veranda.  I  hastened  forward,  but  paused  at 
the  edge  of  the  veranda,  hesitating  whether  I 
should  loosen  my  sandals.  Across  from  me  the 
shadows  of  a  man  and  a  woman  were  silhouetted 
on  the  white  paper  of  the  wall  screens  by  the 
lamplight.  The  shadow  of  the  woman  bowed 
and  glided  off  to  the  right. 

The  man's  shadow  moved  a  little  to  the  left, 
and  the  screen  on  which  it  was  cast  slid  aside. 
Before  me  stood  a  white-bearded  hatamoto  in 
helmet  and  cuirass.  Half  unconscious  of  the 


JARRING    COUNSELLORS 

act,  I  put  my  hand  on  my  swordhilt.  The  hata- 
moto  kowtowed. 

"Command  has  been  given  that  my  lord  is 
to  be  conducted  into  the  presence  of  the  Shogun," 
he  murmured. 

I  signed  him  to  rise.  He  slipped  back  into 
the  lodge,  and  came  out  again  to  kneel  and  offer 
me  a  deep-brimmed  hat  of  plaited  rattan.  I  set 
it  on  my  head,  while  he  stepped  into  a  pair  of 
clogs  and  turned  to  lead  me  out  through  the 
gateway.  I  looked  for  a  last  vision  of  my  little 
Princess,  but  she  failed  to  reappear,  and  I  had 
sufficient  discretion  to  refrain  from  asking 
questions. 

We  advanced  under  the  gate  roof,  our  presence 
loudly  announced  by  the  scuffle  of  my  sandals  and 
the  clang  of  my  escort's  iron-shod  clogs  on  the 
stone  flagging.  A  number  of  helmeted  guards 
started  out  at  us  from  either  side.  But  they 
fell  back  on  the  instant,  and  their  ready  salutes 
told  me  that  my  companion  was  the  captain  of 
the  gate.  Without  a  pause,  we  passed  on  through 
and  out  across  the  high  bridge  that  spanned  the 
moat.  From  the  centre  of  the  arch  I  could  look 
over  at  the  lantern-hung  verandas  of  the  palace. 

At  the  far  side  of  the  bridge  we  came  to  a  second 
gateway,  the  heavy  doors  of  which  were  closed 
and  barred.  My  escort  spoke  to  one  of  the  guards 
who  peered  out  at  us  from  the  projecting  porter's 

[263] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

window,  and  after  a  short  delay  a  small  side 
wicket  was  unbarred  for  us.  We  crept  through, 
and  passed  between  two  groups  of  silent  guards, 
and  up  a  short  avenue  of  cryptomerias  to  the 
nearest  wing  of  the  palace. 

After  leaving  the  gate  we  met  no  one  until  we 
had  reached  the  palace  veranda  and  removed  our 
footwear  to  enter.  As  we  crossed  the  polished 
planks  one  of  the  screens  of  the  unlighted  room 
within  slid  open  before  an  out-hurrying  official. 
At  sight  of  me  the  man  halted  abruptly  where 
the  glow  of  the  porch  lanterns  shone  full  upon  his 
face.  It  was  Gengo  the  chamberlain.  Never 
had  I  seen  a  man  more  startled.  He  stood  with 
jaw  dropped  and  eyes  distended,  glaring  as  if  I 
were  a  ghost  or  demon. 

Politely  ignoring  the  strange  conduct  of  his 
superior  officer,  the  gate  captain  saluted  and 
smilingly  stated  his  errand:  "Command  has  been 
given  that  my  lord  is  to  be  conducted  into  the 
presence  of  the  Shogun." 

Gengo  sank  down  and  kowtowed  at  my  feet. 
"Pardon  is  implored  for  the  inexcusable  careless 
ness  of  my  lord's  humble  servant!"  he  mumbled. 
"It  was  necessary  to  leave  my  lord  alone  in  the 
garden.  I  returned  with  utmost  haste,  but  my 
lord  had  vanished,  and  I  could  not  find  him. 
I  was  returning  even  now  to  make  search.  The 
Shogun  has  summoned  my  lord." 

[264] 


JARRING    COUNSELLORS 

He  rose  and  bowed  me  to  follow  him.  I  signed 
to  the  old  gate  captain,  who  appeared  to  consider 
the  final  words  of  the  chamberlain  as  a  dismissal. 

"Come  with  me  to  the  threshold  of  the  audience 
chamber,"  I  said. 

Gengo  nodded  to  the  guardsman  and  smiled 
blandly.  'The  commands  of  my  lord  are  the 
pleasure  of  his  servants,"  he  murmured. 

The  readiness  of  his  assent  lessened  my  sus 
picion  of  the  fellow.  But  as  we  entered  the  dark 
interior  I  took  the  precaution  of  keeping  near  the 
captain.  I  could  not  tell  for  certain  whether 
the  chamberlain  had  knowingly  led  me  into  an 
ambush  in  the  garden.  Yet  if  innocent,  why  had 
he  been  so  startled  at  my  appearance?  At  first 
thought  his  terror  seemed  an  unmistakable  con 
fession  of  guilt.  Then  I  remembered  his  fear 
in  the  presence  of  the  Shogun,  and  coupled  it 
with  his  present  haste  and  his  no  less  feverish 
eagerness  in  fetching  me  to  the  citadel.  Was  it 
not  probable  that  he  had  blundered  his  orders 
in  the  confusion  of  the  panic,  and  now  feared  that 
I  would  make  complaint? 

One  thing  alone  was  certain:  This  time  he  was 
intent  on  avoiding  all  mistakes,  voluntary  or 
involuntary.  Straight  as  the  lay  of  the  rooms 
and  corridors  would  permit,  he  led  the  way  through 
the  wing  of  the  palace,  and  around  the  end  of 
an  inner  garden  court.  A  few  steps  more  and 

[265] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

we  came  into  a  dimly  lighted  anteroom,  where 
guards  and  chamberlains  crouched  in  waiting, 
flushed  and  bright-eyed  with  excitement,  but 
silent  as  death.  Beyond  sounded  a  murmuring 
of  low  voices. 

Gengo  pointed  to  my  sword  and  dirk.  I  drew 
them  from  my  girdle  with  their  scabbards  and 
handed  them  to  the  old  gate  captain.  The 
chamberlain  whispered  to  a  fellow-official  who  was 
kneeling  close  beside  the  wall  at  the  upper  end  of 
the  room.  The  latter  at  once  drew  open  one  of  the 
screens,  and  Gengo  entered  on  hands  and  knees. 

I  stepped  forward  to  follow  him.  The  door 
keeper  whispered  a  startled  command  for  me  to 
kneel.  But  rather  than  crawl  into  the  presence 
of  their  ruler  in  the  posture  of  a  dog,  I  preferred 
that  the  Japanese  should  consider  me  ignorant 
or  even  insolent.  -To  the  horror  of  the  door 
keeper,  I  strode  into  the  audience  chamber  proudly 
erect. 

The  large  room  before  me  was  flooded  with 
the  soft  rays  of  many  lamps  and  lanterns.  In 
the  centre  of  the  apartment  the  Shogun  sat  upon 
a  low  dais,  close  before  which,  to  right  and  left, 
were  grouped  the  few  persons  in  attendance. 
I  saw  the  long  aristocratic  face  of  the  Prince  of 
Owari  and  Satsuma's  heavy  German  visage  on 
the  left  of  the  throne.  Across  from  them  knelt 
Midzuano  the  Chief  Counsellor  and  three  others, 

[266] 


JARRING    COUNSELLORS 

whose  faces  were  turned  from  me.  I  gathered 
that  the  Shogun  had  called  together  an  informal 
council  of  the  leaders  of  both  factions,  in  the  hope 
of  uniting  them  in  the  face  of  the  supposed  peril 
to  all. 

Unable  to  wait  for  the  slow  crawl  of  Gengo, 
I  stepped  past  him  up  the  room,  and,  heedless 
of  Midzuano's  imperative  gesture  to  fall  upon 
hands  and  knees,  crossed  swiftly  over  the  inter 
vening  mats  to  the  dais.  As  I  knelt  to  kowtow, 
the  man  beside  Midzuano  turned,  and  I  saw  the 
beautiful  vindictive  face  of  young  Keiki. 

I  rose  and  slipped  aside  towards  Satsuma. 
Keiki  and  Midzuano  were  glancing  up  at  the 
Shogun  with  eager  expectancy  beneath  their 
court  smiles.  The  outrageous  conduct  of  the 
barbarian  had  laid  him  open  to  severe  punishment. 
The  two  other  men,  who  were  unknown  to  me, 
regarded  me  in  a  neutral  manner.  I  deepened 
my  smile,  and  looked  up  into  the  gloomy  face  of 
lyeyoshi. 

"The  tojin  lord  comes  quickly  in  response  to 
our  summons,"  he  said  in  a  colorless  tone,  and 
he  signed  to  Gengo  to  withdraw. 

''Your  Highness  would  have  found  me  in 
attendance  much  sooner,  had  I  not  been  led  astray 
in  the  palace  gardens,"  I  replied,  keeping  a  side 
glance  on  Midzuano  and  Keiki.  The  latter  flushed 
with  a  momentary  outflashing  of  chagrin;  the 

[267] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Chief  Counsellor  stared  at  me  with  his  dull  un 
blinking  gaze,  and  gave  no  sign. 

"Led  astray  in  the  gardens?"  questioned  the 
Shogun. 

"At  sunset,  Your  Highness,  on  my  way  to 
Owari  Yashiki  from  the  High  Court,  Gengo  over 
took  me,  with  word  that  my  presence  was  required 
at  the  palace." 

"At  sunset?  —  Command  was  not  sent  until 
after  the  arrival  of  Owari  dono." 

:'Your  Highness,"  murmured  Midzuano,  "fore 
seeing  the  need  for  the  presence  of  the  tojin, 
command  was  sent  by  your  humble  counsellor. 
The  tojin  owes  the  credit  of  his  quick  appearance 
before  Your  Highness  to  the  forethought  of  one 
whom  he  unjustly  considers  an  enemy.  I  venture 
to  speak  because  my  sole  desire  is  the  safety  and 
honor  of  the  Shogunate.  All  friends  of  Nippon 
must  forget  past  differences  and  unite  in  the  face 
of  the  invading  barbarians." 

The  man's  adroitness  astonished  me.  In  a 
few  words  he  had  claimed  credit  for  foresight, 
moderation,  and  patriotism,  had  accused  me  of 
cherishing  undeserved  enmity  against  him,  and 
had  diverted  the  attention  of  all  to  the  burning 
question  of  the  American  expedition  in  such  manner 
as  to  rouse  suspicion  against  me  and  increase 
their  fear  and  hatred  of  the  supposed  invaders. 
He  need  have  had  no  apprehension  that  I  would 

[268] 


JARRING    COUNSELLORS 

complain  of  the  treacherous  attack  in  the  garden. 
Keiki's  vindictive  look  had  quickened  my  suspicions 
to  moral  certainty;  but  this  was  not  the  time  to 
speak  of  a  matter  that  involved  Azai. 

"Your  Highness,"  I  said,  deepening  my  smile, 
"  the  wise  Chief  Counsellor  has  spoken  well  accord 
ing  to  his  limited  information.  He  should  not 
be  blamed  if,  at  such  a  time  of  panic  and  con 
fusion,  he  permits  inquietude  to  so  disturb  his 
sound  judgment  that  he  states  what  is  not  true. 
It  is  a  false  rumor  that  says  the  Americans  have 
come  to  invade  Nippon." 

"False?"  cried  Keiki,  "false?  — when  the 
black  ships  have  entered  Yedo  Bay  in  defiance 
of  the  edict!" 

''They  come  in  peace.  The  Dutch  told  the 
Shogunate  to  expect  the  expedition." 

:'The  Dutch  did  not  say  that  the  American  ships 
would  come  to  Yedo  Bay,"  said  the  older  of  the  two 
strange  daimios  who  sat  between  me  and  Keiki. 

"How  should  the  Dutch  know?"  interposed 
Satsuma  in  a  voice  resonant  with  depth  and 
power.  'The  Dutch  are  a  little  people.  Can 
they  foresee  the  actions  of  a  great  people?  The 
Americans  have  shown  boldness  and  wisdom  in 
coming  direct  to  Yedo  Bay.  Nagasaki  is  a  long 
way  from  Nippon." 

"Does  the  Daimio  of  Satsuma  favor  the  mission 
of  the  barbarians?"  demanded  Keiki. 

f  269  1 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"I  favor  calmness  and  reasonable  consideration 
of  the  purposes  of  the  tojin  visitors.  I  do  not 
shriek  for  the  destruction  of  envoys  who,  accord 
ing  to  my  friend  Woroto  Sama,  come  in  peace  and 
friendship." 

"Is  it  friendly  for  them  to  force  their  way  into 
the  Bay  of  Yedo?"  insisted  Keiki. 

"Nagasaki  is  a  gate  half  open,  but  far  away 
from  the  ear  of  His  Highness,"  said  Owari.  "The 
tojin  peoples  know  that  the  ancient  laws  forbid 
all  communication  whatever.  If  the  Shogunate 
sets  aside  the  edict  of  non-intercourse,  it  may  as 
well  set  aside  the  edict  forbidding  the  entrance 
of  tojin  ships  into  other  ports  than  Nagasaki." 

"The  ancient  laws  are  immutable.  They  may 
not  be  set  aside,"  murmured  Midzuano. 

"Have  I  heard  that  the  Council  of  Elders 
has  punished  those  who  study  the  Dutch  learning 
or  those  who  teach  the  history  of  Nippon?" 
demanded  Satsuma.  "Both  are  crimes  forbidden 
under  penalty  of  death.  Yet  a  Prince  of  Mito 
caused  the  history  to  be  printed." 

"Let  the  tojin  lord  speak,"  interposed  lyeyoshi. 
"I  have  commanded  your  attendance  before  me 
to  advise  on  the  coming  of  the  black  ships.  - 
Answer  truthfully,  tojin!  Rumor  says  that  the 
fleet  of  your  people  is  greater  than  the  fleet  of 
Kublai  Khan." 

"Your    Highness,"    I    answered,    "messengers 
[270] 


JARRING    COUNSELLORS 

will  soon  bring  you  the  exact  count  of  the  ships  in 
the  fleet  of  the  American  envoy.  Others  may 
have  joined  those  which  I  saw  assembled  in 
China,  yet  I  can  state  with  certainty  that,  all 
told,  they  will  number  less  than  ten.  I  place 
the  count  at  five  or  six." 

"Less  than  ten!"  repeated  Keiki.  "Give  com 
mand,  Your  Highness!  The  clans  of  Mito  and 
Hitotsubashi  will  unaided  board  the  black  ships 
and  destroy  the  hairy  barbarians  with  our  swords!" 

The  vaunt  was  too  absurd  for  me  to  contain 
my  amusement.  I  chuckled  openly. 

''The  tojin  sama  mocks,"  protested  the  daimio 
beside  me.  "Has  he  not  heard  how  the  swords 
men  of  Nippon  destroyed  the  vast  fleet  of  Kublai 
Khan?" 

"Abe  Ise-no-kami  speaks  to  the  point,"  com 
mented  Midzuano.  "Can  Woroto  Sama  refute 
him?" 

"Without  aspersing  in  the  slightest  degree  the 
prowess  of  Nippon's  brave  samurai,"  I  answered, 
"it  is  well  to  give  the  gods  credit  for  their  share 
in  the  destruction  of  the  Mongol  fleet.  I  have 
heard  that  the  larger  number  of  the  war  junks 
were  wrecked  or  foundered  in  a  great  typhoon." 

"We  will  implore  the  gods  to  send  another 
such  typhoon,"  retorted  Keiki. 

'The  warships  of  my  people  are  not  clumsy 
junks,"  I  replied.  "They  drive  into  the  teeth 

[271] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

of  the  storm  with  no  sails  set  upon  their  masts. 
I  have  myself  twice  outridden  typhoons  in  the 
black  ships." 

"Grant  leave,  Your  Highness,  for  Mi  to  to 
destroy  the  insolent  barbarians!"  cried  Keiki. 

"If  my  countrymen  might  know  beforehand 
that  the  Mito  clan  were  seeking  battle  on  their 
own  quarrel  and  not  as  representing  Nippon, 
Your  Highness  could  do  no  better  than  to  let  them 
attack,"  I  said.  ''The  result  would  provide  a 
valuable  lesson  for  the  other  frogs  in  the  well. 
My  countrymen  come  in  peace,  desirous  of  honor 
able  friendship  with  the  people  of  Dai  Nippon. 
But  they  are  not  s wordless  tradesmen." 

"Nor  are  the  barbarians  samurai  bred,"  re 
torted  Keiki.  "Only  five  years  have  passed 
since  two  American  warships  ventured  to  approach 
Yedo  Bay.  The  report  cannot  be  doubted  that 
their  great  tojin  lord  was  flung  back  into  his 
boat  by  a  common  sailor  of  Nippon  when  he 
sought  to  come  aboard  the  ship  of  the  Japanese 
commander." 

:'The  shame  of  that  insult  is  upon  Nippon," 
I  said,  keeping  to  my  court  smile,  though  my  face 
burned  with  hot  anger  at  the  jibe.  "The  august 
ruler  of  America  had  given  strict  command  that 
the  people  of  Nippon  should  be  shown  utmost 
courtesy  and  friendliness.  The  American  com 
mander  was  urgently  asked  to  come  aboard  the 

[272] 


JARRING    COUNSELLORS 

junk  to  receive  the  letter  of  His  Highness.  As  a 
token  of  honor  to  His  Highness,  he  came  alongside 
the  junk  and  was  boarding  the  vessel  when  the 
outrage  occurred.  Believing  that  the  insult  was 
the  act  of  the  sailor  alone,  Commodore  Biddle 
restrained  his  just  resentment,  and  left  the  punish 
ment  of  the  sailor  to  the  laws  of  Nippon.  We 
have  a  saying  that  only  savages  and  persons  of 
low  intellect  mistake  moderation  for  fear." 

"Woroto  speaks  wisely,"  said  the  Shogun. 
"All  have  now  spoken  except  li  Kamon-no- 
kami.  What  has  Naosuke  to  say?" 

The  daimio  between  Abe  and  Keiki  bowed 
forward  to  respond.  Though  a  man  still  under 
forty,  the  intellect  and  power  in  his  smooth  face 
was  quite  sufficient  to  explain  to  me  the  respectful 
attention  with  which  all  awaited  his  words. 

'Your  Highness,"  he  said,  "advice  is  humbly 
offered  that  too  little  is  now  known  for  final 
decision.  The  counsel  of  Owari  dono  and  Sat- 
suma  to  inquire  the  purpose  of  the  American 
envoy  is  thought  wise,  —  no  less  the  counsel  of 
Midzuano  and  Keiki  to  assemble  a  force  of  samurai 
and  artillery  against  attack.  The  course  of  wisdom 
is  for  all  parties  to  unite  their  strength  under 
Your  Highness." 

'The  time  has  come  for. all  loyal  subjects  to 
join  together,  forgetful  of  past  enmities,"  purred 
Midzuano.  "It  is  the  time  to  bind  up  old  wounds 

[273] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

and  cover  old  scars.     For  the  sake  of  common 
preservation,  humble  request  is  made  that  Owari 
dono  join  in  petitioning  for  the  freedom  of  one 
who  would  prove  a  tower  of  strength  to  Nippon,  - 
the  wise  and  brave  Rekko  Prince  of  Mito." 

The  Prince  of  Owari  bowed,  with  a  smile  as 
suave  as  the  subtle  counsellor's.  "It  is  certain 
that  Midzuano  has  at  heart  only  the  honor  and 
glory  of  His  Highness,"  he  murmured.  "Owari 
claims  a  still  higher  degree  of  loyalty,  if  such  be 
possible.  The  present  moment  is  one  of  confusion 
and  uncertainty.  All  men  respect  the  counsel 
of  li  Kamon-no-kami.  He  has  said  that  too 
little  is  now  known  for  final  decision." 

I  saw  Keiki  blink  his  narrow  lids  to  hide  the 
fierce  flash  of  his  eyes.  Midzuano  turned  with  an 
indifferent  bearing  to  look  down  the  chamber. 
The  Shogun  made  a  slight  sign.  I  glanced  about 
and  saw  Gengo  creeping  forward  on  his  knees, 
with  a  scroll  upraised  before  him  on  a  tray.  He 
kowtowed  and  murmured  almost  inaudibly: 
"Report  to  the  Council  of  Elders  from  Yezaimon, 
Governor  of  Uraga." 

lyeyoshi  signed  him  towards  Midzuano,  who 
took  the  scroll,  and  at  a  nod  from  the  Shogun, 
read  the  message  aloud. 

• 

"To  the  august  Council  of  Elders:  Report  is 
hereby  humbly  submitted  that  shortly  after 

[274] 


JARRING    COUNSELLORS 

midday  four  warships  of  the  hairy  barbarians, 
two  being  of  vast  size,  entered  the  mouth  of  the 
inner  bay  and,  without  sail,  proceeded  against 
wind  and  tide  to  an  anchorage  within  close  view 
of  Uraga.  Being  boarded  by  the  second  in  com 
mand  at  Uraga,  his  request  that  the  black  ships 
proceed  to  Nagasaki  was  peremptorily  denied. 
Demand  was  made  that  all  guard-boats  be  with 
drawn.  The  barbarian  commander  is  said  to 
be  of  such  exalted  rank  that  only  daimios  may  be 
admitted  into  his  presence.  He  comes  as  an 
envoy  from  the  tojin  country  called  the  United 
States  of  America.  He  bears  a  letter  from  the 
ruler  of  America  to  His  Highness  the  Shogun, 
alleged  to  contain  requests  for  friendship  and 
intercourse.  Statement  is  made  that  if  such 
letter  is  not  honorably  received  at  Uraga,  the 
black  ships  will  proceed  up  the  bay  and  deliver 
the  letter  at  Yedo.  The  American  warships 
are  very  powerful  and  are  armed  with  many 
cannon  of  immense  size. 

;'YEZAIMON,  Governor  of  Uraga. 

"NAKASHIMA,  Vice-governor  of  Uraga." 

As  the  reader  settled  back  on  his  heels  and 
rolled  up  the  scroll,  all  turned  to  the  Shogun. 
He  spoke  with  quick  decision:  "The  counsel  of 
li  Kamon-no-kami  is  accepted.  Let  samurais  be 
assembled  by  the  daimios  in  command  along  the 

[275] 


bay,  to  guard  against  surprise.  To  receive  the 
communication  of  the  ruler  of  America  is  against 
the  ancient  edict.  So  grave  a  matter  as  setting 
aside  the  edict  requires  deliberate  consideration. 
Let  the  officials  at  Uraga  negotiate  with  the 
tojin  envoy  until  a  decision  may  be  reached  by 
my  counsellors.  Permission  is  given  to  withdraw." 

We  kowtowed  and  glided  from  the  audience 
chamber  past  an  increeping  group  of  chamber 
lains.  In  the  anteroom,  when  I  received  back  my 
sword  and  dirk  from  the  old  gate  captain,  Keiki 
eyed  him  sharply,  but  was  called  away  by  Mid- 
zuano.  li  Kamon-no-kami  and  Abe  Ise-no-kami 
followed  the  Prince,  Satsuma,  and  myself  through 
another  exit,  and  asked  me  many  politely  worded 
questions  as  we  clattered  along  on  our  high  clogs. 

Leaving  the  palace  enclosure  by  one  of  the 
lesser  bridges,  we  crossed  the  outer  enclosure 
of  the  citadel  to  the  Sakaruda  Gate  through  a 
small  ^army  of  grotesquely  armored  hatamotos. 
It  was  the  first  time  that  I  had  seen  Japanese 
in  full  war-harness,  and  bizarre  as  was  the  effect 
of  their  dish  helmets,  wing-like  shoulder  brassards, 
and  the  padded  robes  under  their  plate  and 
chain  mail,  I  must  confess  that  they  presented 
a  most  formidable  appearance  even  to  one 
acquainted  with  modern  firearms. 

Outside  the  Sakaruda  Gate  I  was  relieved  to 
find  Yoritomo  waiting  for  us  with  a  guard  of 

[276] 


JARRING    COUNSELLORS 

half  a  thousand  Owari  retainers,  all  clad  in  armor 
as  complete  as  that  of  the  hatamotos.  He  himself 
wore  a  wondrous  suit  of  gilded  armor  that  glittered 
resplendent  in  the  light  of  the  swaying  lanterns. 
He  rode  an  armored  stallion,  but  had  brought  a 
norimon  for  me. 

The  need  of  this  escort  became  clear  when  we 
marched  away  through  the  official  quarter.  I 
had  left  the  broad  streets  swarming  with  a  silk- 
clad  panic-stricken  mob.  I  came  back  to  find 
them  all  but  jammed  with  mailed  and  helmetted 
samurais  whose  wild  fear  had  given  place  to  the 
fury  of  despair.  Many  among  them,  —  for  the 
most  part  Mito  retainers,  —  wore  their  armor 
shrouded  with  white  mourning  robes,  in  token 
of  devotion  to  death  in  battle. 

li  and  Abe  had  turned  aside  to  their  yashikis, 
which  were  near  at  hand,  eastward  from  the  gate. 
We  moved  in  the  opposite  direction,  and  having 
escorted  Satsuma  and  his  cortege  to.  his  yashiki, 
finally  won  our  way  through  the  crowded  streets 
to  the  outer  moat  and  across  into  Owari  Yashiki. 

A  few  minutes  later  I  was  alone  in  my  apart 
ments  with  Yoritomo,  relating  all  that  had  befallen 
me  since  our  parting  at  sunset.  Throughout 
the  account  my  friend  listened  with  intense 
interest,  but  with  no  comment  except  an  exclama 
tion  of  profound  astonishment  that  the  Princess 
should  have  confessed  her  love  to  me. 

[277] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

When  I  had  quite  finished,  he  shook  his  head 
in  a  puzzled  manner,  and  said:  "In  all  the  temples 
and  at  thousands  of  samurai  garden  shrines, 
prayers  are  being  made  for  the  gods  to  send  a 
great  wind  against  the  tojins.  If  all  the  tojins 
are  as  favored  by  the  gods  as  one  I  know,  there 
will  be  no  typhoon." 

"I  have  won  the  favor  of  Azai.  How  can  I 
fail  to  possess  the  favor  of  the  gods?"  I  replied, 
not  altogether  in  jest. 

He  clanked  his  golden  armor  in  an  impatient 
gesture.  "  Namida!  We  speak  of  women  and  love, 
when  the  fate  of  Nippon  hangs  in  the  balance! 
There  is  one  thing  you  have  not  told  me.  What 
was  the  message  Yuki  handed  to  you  when  you 
were  mounting  your  horse?  He  says  that  a 
geisha  gave  it  to  him  for  me.  He  did  not  presume 
to  read  it,  but  as  he  could  not  reach  my  norimon 
through  the  midst  of  the  Satsuma  men,  he  gave 
the  note  to  you,  not  knowing  that  you  cannot 
read  Japanese." 

I  searched  in  my  bosom,  and  drew  out  a 
crumpled  bit  of  paper.  As  Yoritomo  smoothed  it  on 
the  palm  of  his  steel  gauntlet,  he  nodded.  ;'The 
writing  of  Kohana.  You  are  right  in  suspecting 
that  the  attack  in  the  garden  enclosure  of  the 
Princess  was  not  due  to  chance.  It  was  an  ambush 
laid  by  Keiki  and  Midzuano.  They  hoped  you 
would  be  cut  down  by  the  hatamotos  as  you  entered 

[278] 


JARRING    COUNSELLORS 

the  citadel.  That  failing,  Gengo  deliberately 
misled  you  into  the  forbidden  enclosure  of  the 
women,  that  Midzuano  might  set  the  guards 
of  the  inner  gate  upon  you.  The  guards  did  not 
know  it  was  a  plot.  They  were  loyally  seeking 
to  avenge  the  outrage  committed  by  one  of  the 
hairy  barbarians  who  had  violated  the  sacred 
enclosure  of  the  palace  women.  None  other  than 
Azai  or  the  Shoguness  could  have  saved  you." 

"Kohana's  note!"  I  exclaimed.  "Does  it  tell 
all  that?" 

"Between  the  lines,  as  you  say,"  he  answered; 
and  he  read  the  writing,  ' '  *  Gengo  has  taken  pay 
of  Keiki.' " 


[279] 


CHAPTER    XXII  — TEA    WITH   THE    TYCOON 


T 


"f  HERE  followed  four  days  of  anxious 
waiting.  Though  the  Prince  went 
daily  to  the  palace,  my  presence 
was  not  commanded,  and  in  the  con 
tinued  state  of  public  stress  and 
turmoil,  it  was  thought  best  that  Yoritomo  and 
I  should  keep  close  within  the  yashiki.  The  Mi  to 
faction  had  given  wide  publication  to  a  garbled 
account  of  our  trial,  which  libelled  us  with  the 
stigma  of  confessed  spies.  Had  we  appeared 
in  the  streets  of  the  official  quarter  before  excess 
of  fury  had  exhausted  the  rancor  and  excitement 
of  the  samurais,  we  should  have  been  hacked 
to  pieces  by  our  enemies  and  their  dupes. 

Throughout  the  vast  extent  of  the  lower  city 
the  panic  continued  without  cessation.  Day  and 
night  the  bay-front  populace  streamed  inland  by 
thousands,  bearing  upon  back  and  shoulder 
their  household  goods,  young  children,  and  aged 
mothers.  Skirting  along  the  outer  moat  of  the 
official  quarter,  the  bulk  of  the  refugees  from 
the  southern  half  of  Yedo  poured  past  Owari 
Yashiki  in  an  endless  mob,  all  alike  possessed 

[280] 


TEA    WITH    THE    TYCOON 

by  the  one  frantic  desire  to  place  themselves 
beyond  reach  of  the  magic  tojin  cannon. 

Yet  vast  as  was  the  multitude  of  townsfolk  that 
poured  out  of  Yedo,  fully  a  third  were  replaced 
by  the  hatamotos  and  samurais  that  rushed  in 
to  the  defence  of  the  Shogun's  capitol,  while 
reports  were  received  that  the  da 'union  down 
the  bay  had  assembled  ten  thousand  armor- 
clad  men  within  the  first  two  days.  The  clans 
were  responding  to  the  call  of  the  Shogunate  by 
lining  up  to  present  a  solid  front  to  the  barbarians. 

Had  there  been  confirmation  of  the  first  wild 
rumor  that  the  black  ships  numbered  sixty  and 
their  guns  six  hundred,  or  had  Commodore  Perry 
attempted  a  forceful  landing,  the  heat  of  patriotic 
loyalty  would  have  fused  even  the  icy  venom  of 
the  hatred  between  Owari  and  Mito.  But  the 
Commodore,  though  firm  to  arrogance,  took 
utmost  care  to  avoid  all  acts  of  violence,  and  his 
squadron  was  not  large  enough  to  awe  the  Mito 
faction  into  forgetfulness  of  their  desire  to  over 
throw  the  Shogunate. 

At  last,  after  much  debate  and  intrigue,  the 
Prince  and  Satsuma,  backed  by  li  Kamon-no- 
kami,  won  a  denial  of  the  demand  of  Keiki  and 
Midzuano  for  immediate  hostilities.  The  Ameri 
can  envoy  having  resolutely  refused  to  go  to 
Nagasaki  and  having  again  threatened  to  ascend 
the  bay,  lyeyoshi  reluctantly  appointed  two  of  the 

[281] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

lesser  daimios  as  commissioners  to  receive  the  let 
ter  of  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

Together  with  the  news  of  this  victory,  the 
Prince  brought  from  the  palace  the  Shogun's 
command  for  Yoritomo  to  break  the  seclusion 
of  his  mourning  and  proceed  to  Uraga.  The  duty 
assigned  him  was  secretly  to  check  the  interpreters, 
and  make  a  full  report  of  all  that  occurred  during 
the  ceremony  of  receiving  the  tojin  letter.  He 
was  forbidden,  on  pain  of  death,  to  enter  into 
any  communication  with  the  barbarians. 

This  was  during  the  afternoon  of  July  the 
eleventh.  Yoritomo  and  I  sat  up  late  that  night 
discussing  the  situation.  He  pointed  out  the 
extreme  precariousness  of  my  standing  as  a  sup 
posed  tojin  spy  in  the  opinion  of  all  who  favored 
Mito.  I  replied  that  with  the  risk  doubled,  and 
only  half  my  present  slender  chance  of  winning 
my  little  Princess,  I  should  still  prefer  Yedo  to 
the  safety  of  the  warships.  He  then  offered  to 
smuggle  a  message  from  me  to  the  Commodore, 
so  that  the  Shogunate  might  be  warned  to  protect 
me  from  harm.  I  objected  that  I  did  not  wish 
to  be  delivered  over  to  my  countrymen  and  taken 
out  of  Japan;  that  the  discovery  of  such  an  attempt 
to  communicate  would  mean  ruin,  alike  to  us  and 
to  his  plans;  and  that  I  was  willing  to  face  the 
risk  I  had  brought  upon  myself  by  coming  to 
Japan  with  him. 

[282] 


TEA    WITH    THE    TYCOON 

So  it  was  that  my  friend  set  off  down  the  bay  the 
next  morning  in  one  of  the  swift  government 
guard-boats,  pledged  to  silence  regarding  my 
presence  in  Yedo.  Had  he  not  given  me  his 
word,  all  the  watchfulness  of  the  dozen  hatamoto 
attendants  and  spies  who  accompanied  him  would 
have  failed  to  prevent  his  communicating  with 
Commodore  Perry. 

His  departure,  I  must  confess,  left  me  more 
than  lonely.  The  Prince  continued  to  spend 
his  days  at  the  palace,  either  opposing  Midzuano 
and  Keiki  in  private  audience,  or  planning  with 
the  Household  to  checkmate  the  intrigues  of  the 
Council  and  its  supporters  to  bring  about  an 
attack  on  the  black  ships. 

At  last,  about  noon  of  the  fifteenth,  Fujimaro, 
my  chamberlain,  informed  me  that  I  was  com 
manded  to  appear  before  the  Shogun.  An  armed 
escort  was  provided  for  me,  with  Yuki,  now  my 
swordbearer,  in  command,  and  I  was  borne  to 
the  citadel  at  a  speed  that  in  less  strenuous  times 
would  have  disgraced  the  House  of  Owari.  Had 
the  identity  of  the  norimons  occupant  been 
suspected  by  the  war-accoutred  samurais  who 
still  thronged  the  streets  of  the  official  quarter, 
I  doubt  whether  we  should  have  reached  our 
destination  without  a  bloody  fight. 

To  avoid  such  an  untimely  conflict  among  the 
clans,  instructions  had  been  given  to  admit  me 

[283] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

in  my  norimon,  as  on  my  first  visit,  through  the 
Heanzo  Gate,  at  the  head  of  Kojimachi  Street. 
My  guards,  with  the  exception  of  Yuki  and  Fuji- 
maro,  were  required  to  wait  outside  the  gate. 
Within  the  bastion  my  bearers  halted  and  set 
down  the  norimon.  I  peered  out  to  ask  Yuki 
the  reason  for  the  halt.  He  had  stepped  aside, 
and  in  his  place  I  saw  Gengo  bowing  and  smiling 
with  irreproachable  suavity. 

"Proceed  across  the  garden,"  I  commanded. 

"Pardon,  my  lord,"  murmured  the  fellow. 
"It  is  required  that  my  lord  should  descend  and 
come  with  me  unattended." 

"I  have  been  commanded  to  appear  before 
His  Highness,"  I  said.  "How  can  I  trust  to 
the  guidance  of  one  who  once  lost  me  in  a  certain 
other  garden?" 

He  faced  me  squarely  with  no  other  look  than 
contrition  in  his  eyes.  "My  lord  covers  me  with 
well-merited  shame,"  he  replied.  "Many  others* 
than  myself  were  dazed  by  the  great  fear  that 
fell  upon  all  Yedo  that  day;  yet  my  lord  does 
well  to  reproach  me  for  my  stupid  blunder." 

"To  save  you  the  shame  of  repeating  the  error, 

will  ride  through  the  garden,  as  on  my  first 
visit." 

"The  gods  forbid!"  he  exclaimed,  dropping 
on  his  knees.  His  voice  sank  to  a  faint  whisper. 
"My  lord,  it  is  not  permissible  —  my  lord  must 

[284] 


TEA    WITH    THE    TYCOON 

give  over  his  sword  and  dirk,  and  come  with  me 
unattended." 

I  smiled.  'The  pleasure  of  waiting  at  deserted 
kiosks  is  not  always  appreciated." 

''This  time  there  wrill  be  no  need  to  wait," 
he  whispered.  "His  Highness  is  in  the  garden. 
If  my  lord  doubts,  let  him  demand  the  escort  of 
the  gate  captain.  But  he  must  leave  his  norimon, 
as  I  have  explained." 

I  felt  the  brace  of  pistol-butts  within  my  bosom. 
This  time  I  had  come  fully  prepared.  "Open," 
I  called. 

Yuki  and  Fujimaro  sprang  to  assist  me  from 
the  norimon.  I  thrust  my  feet  into  the  clogs  held 
by  them,  and  handed  over  my  sword  and  dirk 
to  Yuki. 

"I  am  ready,"  I  said. 

The  chamberlain  started  off  with  a  look  that 
told  me  he  was  puzzling  to  surmise  whether  I  was 
a  blind  fool  or  a  very  brave  man.  Either  I  had 
been  too  obtuse  to  suspect  his  part  in  the  ambush, 
or  else,  knowing  his  treachery,  I  was,  he  supposed, 
following  him  unarmed  into  another  secluded 
garden.  His  open  display  of  perplexity  convinced 
me  that  he  now  had  no  treachery  in  mind,  else  he 
would  have  kept  closer  control  of  his  expression. 

Without  a  second  backward  glance,  he  led  the 
way  at  a  rapid  pace  up  an  avenue  of  umbrella 
pines.  Somewhat  over  a  quarter  of  a  mile  brought 

[285] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

us  to  a  narrow  path  that  crossed  the  avenue  at 
right  angles.  Gengo  turned  to  the  left,  up  the 
new  way.  I  felt  of  my  revolvers,  and  clattered 
after  him.  He  came  to  a  rockery  bordered  with 
dense  groves,  an  ideal  place  for  an  ambush.  I 
stopped  short.  He  went  on  a  few  steps,  and 
pointed  around  the  far  side  of  a  huge  rock.  I 
gripped  my  revolvers  and  advanced. 

Beyond  the  boulder  the  rockery  opened  out 
around  a  little  artificial  cliff,  upon  the  crest  of 
which  was  perched  a  small  summer-house. 
Through  the  latticed  end  of  the  building  I  per 
ceived  a  figure  in  black  and  yellow  robes.  I 
waved  Gengo  to  lead  on.  We  skirted  around 
to  the  right,  and  came  upon  half  a  hundred  hata- 
moto  guards  in  full  war-harness.  For  a  moment 
the  sight  of  their  flashing  lance  blades,  horned 
helmets,  and  steel  mail  gave  me  a  lively  fright. 

I  half  halted,  only  to  advance  again  as  I  saw 
that  they  were  making  way  for  me,  with  respectful 
smiles  and  bows.  Gengo  passed  on  through 
their  midst,  and  ascended  a  narrow  wooden 
stairway  that  led  up  the  rear  of  the  cliff.  Follow 
ing  close  upon  his  heels,  I  swung  up  after  him 
and  around  the  enclosed  end  of  the  building. 
Through  a  small  window,  a  yard  or  so  short  of 
the  second  corner,  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  lady's 
coiffure. 

The  sight  thrilled  me  with  the  thought  of 
[286] 


TEA    WITH    THE    TYCOON 

rapturous  possibilities.  I  hastened  around  into  the 
low  veranda  of  the  kiosk's  front,  dropping  my  clogs 
at  the  edge  in  imitation  of  Gengo.  A  few  steps 
more  brought  us  into  the  presence  of  the  Shogun. 
His  Highness  was  seated  upon  a  low  divan,  with 
Owari  dono  before  him  on  his  left,  and  Satsuma 
on  his  right.  As  we  rose  from  our  salute,  Gengo 
placed  a  cushion  for  me  beside  the  Prince,  and 
silently  withdrew. 

The  Shogun  favored  me  with  a  slight  relaxation 
of  his  austere  frown.  "Woroto  Sama  has  dis 
played  commendable  diligence  in  responding  to 
our  command,"  he  said. 

"The  will  of  Minamoto  lyeyoshi  is  the  pleasure 
of  those  who  desire  to  serve  him,"  I  responded. 

Owari  and  Satsuma  exchanged  glances  approv 
ing  the  politeness  of  my  phrasing.  lyeyoshi 
nodded,  and  made  a  sign  to  the  Prince,  who  drew 
forward  a  small  rosewood  case  richly  ornamented 
with  gold.  I  saw  at  a  glance  that  the  designs 
were  not  Japanese  —  I  thrilled  at  sight  of  the 
well-remembered  eagles!  From  the  box  the 
Prince  handed  to  me  an  official  document  written 
in  English  and  sealed  in  gold  with  the  great  seal 
of  the  United  States  of  America.  I  raised  the 
document  to  my  forehead  and  kowtowed. 
'The  letter  of  the  President!"  I  murmured. 

"Translate,"  commanded  the  Shogun,  taking 
up  a  paper  written  in  classical  Chinese  ideographs. 

[287] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

The  Prince  unrolled  a  similar  paper,  while 
Satsuma  opened  a  Dutch  writing.  I  perceived 
that  I  had  been  summoned  for  the  purpose  of 
cross-checking  the  translations  of  Yoritomo  and 
the  official  interpreters.  I  rose  to  my  knees  and 
began  reading  the  document  in  my  best  Japanese: 

"'Millard  Fillmore,  President  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  to  his  Imperial  Majesty,  the 
Emperor  of  Japan.  Great  and  good  friend  - 

lyeyoshi  checked  me  with  a  gesture.  "A  differ 
ence!  It  is  here  rendered,  'His  Exalted  Highness 
the  Tycoon.'  You  say,  'His  Highness  the 
Shogun. 

;'The  error  is  mine,  Your  Highness,"  I  explained. 
"The  terms  may  not  be  translated  literally. 
Their  intent  is  to  express  supreme  rulership." 

"In  such  case,"  said  Satsuma,  "Mito  may 
be  expected  to  claim  that  the  message  is  addressed 
to  the  Mikado." 

"I  regularly  received  investiture  as  Shogun 
from  the  Mikado,"  replied  lyeyoshi,  frowning. 
;'The  rulership  of  Nippon  is  in  my  hands,  accord 
ing  to  law  and  custom.  I  am  not  the  first  Shogun 
to  be  addressed  as  'Tycoon'  and  'O-gimi. ' 

"The  letter  is  properly  received  by  Your  High 
ness,"  observed  the  Prince.  "The  Mikados  have 
chosen  to  maintain  their  sacred  seclusion  for 
generation  after  generation.  It  is  for  Your  High 
ness  to  defend  the  domains  of  the  present  descend- 

[288] 


TEA    WITH    THE    TYCOON 

ant  of  the  Sun  Goddess  and  inaugurate  a  glorious 
cycle  for  Dai  Nippon  by  opening  the  land  to 
enlightenment." 

'The  bonds  of  ancient  laws  are  not  to  be  broken 
without  deliberate  consideration,"  replied  the 
Shogun,  and  he  signed  to  me  to  proceed. 

I  read  on  slowly  through  the  letter's  courteous 
expression  of  friendship  and  of  desire  for  com 
mercial  intercourse,  the  arguments  regarding  the 
mutual  advantages  of  trade,  and  the  need  of 
protection  to  the  shipwrecked  sailors  of  our 
whalers  and  other  ships.  At  almost  every  line 
I  was  questioned  and  cross-questioned,  above  all 
when  I  came  to  the  suggestion  that  the  laws 
might  be  suspended  and  intercourse  tested  as 
an  experiment  for  a  limited  period.  This  pro 
posal  received  the  hearty  approval  of  both  the 
Prince  and  Satsuma,  and  they  urged  its  acceptance 
upon  the  Shogun.  He  asked  me  numerous  ques 
tions  about  treaties  between  the  Western  nations, 
and  then,  without  replying  to  his  advisers,  com 
manded  me  to  proceed. 

As  I  finished  the  reading  and  returned  the  letter 
to  its  case,  the  Shogun  turned  upon  Satsuma  with 
a  deepening  of  his  frown.  ;'You  speak  as  coun 
sellor  for  the  barbarians.  You  have  yet  to  refute 
the  ten  reasons  for  war  set  forth  in  the  memorial 
of  Rekko,  Prince  of  Mito." 

The  Daimio  took  a  scroll  from  his  sleeve,  opened 
[289] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

it,  and  ran  a  finger  down  the  vertical  lines  of 
writing  as  he  spoke  his  comments:  "Your  High 
ness,  it  is  true  that  in  the  past  the  armies  of 
Nippon  have  been  victorious  in  foreign  lands, 
but  the  tojins  do  not  come  as  invaders.  It  is  no 
disgrace  to  enter  into  honorable  treaty  with 
peaceful  envoys." 

"And,  possessed  of  tojin  cannon  and  ships, 
Nippon  may  again  win  glorious  victories  in 
Korea  and  China,"  added  the  Prince. 

"Regarding  the  second  statement,"  went  on 
Satsuma,  "the  tojin  letter  declares  that  religion 
is  a  matter  apart  from  the  policy  of  the  American 
Government.  There  is  no  intent  to  force  the 
doctrines  of  the  evil  sect  upon  us.  As  to  the 
question  of  trading  precious  goods  and  metals 
for  those  we  do  not  want,  the  tojin  nations  buy 
only  what  they  desire  and  sell  what  they  please. 
We  can  do  the  same.  Mito  speaks  of  the  Chinese 
Opium  War.  If  we  accept  the  offer  of  friendly 
intercourse,  we  can  learn  the  ways  of  the  tojin 
and  acquire  skill  in  their  methods  of  warfare." 

"In  one  breath  Mito  says  that  we  are  not  as 
brave  and  strong  as  our  ancestors,  and  in  the 
next  urges  us  to  plunge  into  war  with  these  friendly 
envoys,"  said  Owari.  "He  defames  the  brave 
samurais  who  have  rushed  to  the  defence  of  our 
shores,  and  then  asks  if  it  is  wise  to  disappoint 
their  ignorant  desire  for  attack." 

[290] 


TEA    WITH    THE    TYCOON 

"The  interests  of  Dai  Nippon  are  of  greater 
moment  than  the  interests  of  the  clans  in  control 
at  Nagasaki,"  added  Satsuma. 

"The  haughty  demeanor  of  the  American 
admiral  proves  that  the  American  Government 
has  honored  Nippon  by  sending  an  envoy  of  exalted 
rank,"  argued  the  Prince.  "Only  the  frogs  in 
the  well  consider  the  presence  of  the  black  ships 
an  insult.  It  is  the  Mito  faction  that  seeks  to 
undermine  the  fear  and  respect  due  the  Govern 
ment  of  Your  Highness.  Should  such  disloyalty 
continue,  'chance  to  rouse  the  case-dulled  spirit 
of  our  men'  will  soon  be  presented  by  the  need 
to  chastise  the  defamers  of  the  Shogunate." 

"Enough,"  said  lyeyoshi,  relaxing  his  frown. 
"You  have  replied  to  the  memorial  and  in  part 
refuted  its  statements.  Nevertheless,  the  Daimio 
of  Kaga  and  many  other  powerful  clan  leaders 
support  Mito.  The  black  ships  soon  sail.  They 
will  not  return  for  a  long  period.  We  have  ample 
time  to  deliberate  over  our  answer  to  the  tojin 
ruler.  Letters  will  be  sent  to  all  the  daimios 
and  noted  officials  and  counsellors  in  Dai  Nippon, 
commanding  their  advice." 

Satsuma  bowed,  more  pleased,  I  fancied,  than  the 
Prince.  "The  proceeding  is  without  precedent, 
Your  Highness,  yet  none  may  doubt  that  it  is 
the  course  of  wisdom." 

The  Shogun  touched  a  small  gong.  A  screen 
[291  ] 


THE    SHOGUN 'S    DAUGHTER 

at  the  inner  corner  of  the  veranda  slid  open,  and 
O  Setsu  San  kowtowed  on  the  sill-beam.  The 
Shogun  made  a  sign.  The  girl  withdrew. 

"Your  Highness,"  murmured  the  Prince. 
"Woroto  Sama  came  to  Nippon  sincerely  desirous 
of  rendering  a  service  of  friendship  and  good 
will.  Your  Highness  condescends  to  favor  him, 
but  Mito  seeks  his  destruction.  There  is  yet 
time  to  send  him  aboard  one  of  the  black  ships, 
if  Your  Highness  considers  his  presence  in  Yedo 
unpropitious." 

"Does  Woroto  wish  to  join  his  countrymen?" 
demanded  the  Shogun. 

'The  Land  of  the  Gods  is  very  pleasant  to 
me,  Your  Highness,"  I  answered.  "I  do  not  wish 
to  go.  I  desire  to  remain  until  death." 

The  Shogun  gazed  at  me  between  doubt  and 
friendliness.  "The  prayer  of  Woroto  is  granted. 
He  may  remain  in  Yedo,  at  least  until  the  return  of 
the  black  ships,  —  provided  he  is  willing  to  risk  the 
consequences  should  the  counsel  of  Mito  prevail." 

I  saw  a  slender  figure  bowing  forward  through 
the  opening  in  the  screens,  and  a  flood  of  color 
leaped  into  my  face. 

"Your  Highness,"  I  cried, "  I  will  gladly  risk  all !  I 
thank  you  for  your  gracious  permission  to  remain ! " 

The  Shogun  stared  piercingly  into  my  flushed 
face;  then  turned  with  the  Prince  and  Satsuma 
to  watch  Azai,  his  face,  like  theirs,  grave  almost 


TEA    WITH    THE    TYCOON 

to  solemnity.  With  slow  and  graceful  move 
ments  that  followed  one  upon  the  other  with 
the  precision  of  a  formal  ritual,  my  little  Prin 
cess  entered  with  a  brazier  upon  which  the  charcoal 
glowed  in  a  tiny  crater  of  rock  crystal.  Setting 
this  before  us,  she  returned  to  fetch,  one  at  a 
time,  tongs,  kettle,  dipper,  tea  canister,  bowls, 
and  various  other  tiny  utensils. 

Throughout  the  bringing  and  arranging  of 
this  equipment  the  profound  silence  was  broken 
only  by  the  occasional  murmuring  of  set  phrases. 
Azai  proceeded  with  utmost  grace  and  delicacy, 
too  intent  upon  the  correct  performance  of  the  tea 
ceremony  to  venture  a  glance  at  me.  The  tea, 
crushed  into  a  fine  powder,  was  mixed  in  a  bowl 
with  boiling  water  and  beaten  with  a  bamboo  whisk 
that  my  darling  rolled  deftly  between  her  fingers. 

The  first  bowlful  of  the  tea  porridge  was  served  to 
the  Shogun  upon  a  tray  of  unvarnished  cypress 
wood,  which  was  then  set  aside.  But  the  bowl 
was  rinsed  and  filled  with  a  second  mixture, 
which  was  served  to  the  Prince  on  a  gold-lacquered 
tray.  Again  the  bowl  was  rinsed  and  used  to  serve 
the  soup-like  tea  to  Satsuma  on  the  same  tray.  Last 
of  all  Azai  rinsed  the  bowl  and  prepared  my  tea 
with  the  same  delicate  precision  and  grace. 

When  she  approached  to  serve  me,  I  looked 
to  see  her  blush  or  tremble.  I  was  yet  to  learn 
the  full  measure  of  a  Japanese  lady's  self-control. 

[2931 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Holding  the  tray  on  a  level  with  her  adorable 
little  chin,  she  knelt  before  me  without  the  slightest 
trace  of  a  quiver  beneath  her  gracious  smile.  The 
exquisitely  delicate  rose  tint  of  her  cheeks  neither 
paled  nor  deepened.  Only  once,  as  I  set  the 
emptied  bowl  back  upon  the  tray,  her  lowered 
lashes  lifted  for  an  instant,  to  disclose  to  me  a 
glimpse  of  the  unfathomable  tenderness  and  love 
in  the  depths  of  her  lustrous  eyes. 

With  the  same  slowness  and  solemnity  she 
drew  back  and  proceeded  to  carry  out  the  brazier 
and  service  in  set  order,  while  her  father,  the  Prince, 
and  the  Daimio  noted  the  last  stages  of  the  ritual 
with  their  formal  phrases.  I  sat  in  the  meek  atti 
tude  of  a  neophyte,  but  I  fear  I  gave  little  heed  to 
the  solemn  ritual.  All  too  soon  Azai  kowtowed  and 
disappeared.  The  quaint  rite  was  at  an  end. 

That  she  should  have  come  and  gone  with  only 
that  one  glance  and  never  a  word  for  me,  went 
far  to  lessen  the  joy  of  seeing  her.  My  face  was 
grave  when  the  Shogun  looked  down  upon  me. 
He  nodded  approvingly.  "Woroto  Sama  seems 
versed  in  the  pleasant  mystery  of  the  tea  ceremony. 
It  is  known  in  his  country?" 

"I  seek  to  learn,  Your  Highness.  The  cere 
mony  is  undeveloped  in  my  country.  As  yet 
the  drinking  of  tea  is  for  the  most  part  confined 
to  our  women." 

The  word  set  loose  upon  me  a  flood  of  questions 
[294] 


TEA    WITH    THE    TYCOON 

with  regard  to  tojin  women  and  marriage.  I 
answered  as  best  I  could.  As  I  anticipated, 
Satsuma  and  the  Prince  were  no  less  shocked  than 
the  Shogun  at  the  freedom  allowed  Occidental 
women.  But  I  perceived  that  the  severity  of 
His  Highness's  look  softened  when  I  dwelt  upon 
the  honor  and  respect  which  we  accord  our  wives. 
I  recalled  that  statement  of  Kohana  San  that 
Minamoto  lyeyoshi  regarded  his  daughter  with 
the  fondness  due  a  son. 

"It  is  certain  that  the  tojin  peoples  reverse 
many  of  the  rightful  rules  of  society  and  morals. 
Yet  what  has  been  said  is  of  grave  interest," 
he  observed.  "Woroto  Sama  is  doubtless  aware 
that  in  Nippon  a  teacher  is  held  in  high  honor 
as  the  temporary  father  of  his  pupils.  The 
children  of  the  Sei-i-tai  Shogun  should  not  remain 
in  ignorance  of  the  tojin  world." 

I  kowtowed  to  hide  my  eager  delight,  and 
waited  in  keen  suspense. 

"After  the  American  envoy  has  sailed,  your 
presence  will  be  required.  Until  then  -  He 
dismissed  me  with  a  gesture. 

I  withdrew  to  rejoin  Gengo,  who  was  waiting 
at  the  corner  of  the  kiosk.  As  we  passed  the 
window  a  face  appeared  within,  and  I  again  met 
the  loving  glance  of  my  little  Princess. 


[295] 


CHAPTER    XXIII -- LESSONS    AND    LOVE 

MY   impatience  over   the   delay   of   the 
expedition  to  sail  at  once  may  well 
be  imagined. 
At  last,  on  the    morning    of    the 
eighteenth,  Yoritomo  returned  home 
with  the  welcome  news  that  the  squadron  had 
weighed  anchor  and  put  out  to  sea  the  previous 
day.     He   had   much   to   say   of   the   display   on 
either    side    when    Commodore    Perry    landed    at 
Gorihama,  below  Uraga,  and  delivered  over  the 
President's  letter  to  Toda  Idzu-no-kami  and  Ido 
Iwami-no-kami.     On  the  following  day  the  black 
ships  had  excited  much  apprehension  by  sailing 
up  the  bay  almost  to  within  sight  of  Yedo. 

I  listened  to  the  account  of  my  countrymen's 
proceedings  with  an  indifference  that  astonished 
me.  Thanks  to  my  long  intimacy  with  my  friend, 
the  few  weeks  of  my  stay  in  his  country  had 
sufficed  to  initiate  me  into  the  life  and  customs 
of  his  people.  I  was  fascinated  by  the  samurai 
spirit.  Yet  for  all  that,  I  might  well  have  been 
overcome  with  longing  at  the  news  of  the  departure 
of  the  expedition,  had  it  not  been  for  my  love  for 
the  little  Princess.  Yoritomo  had  made  me  a 

[296] 


LESSONS    AND    LOVE 

friend  to  the  Japanese;  Azai  made  me  a  Japa 
nese. 

True  to  the  Shogun's  word,  the  official  report 
of  the  sailing  of  the  American  squadron  brought 
a  prompt  command  for  me  to  attend  upon  lyesada 
Sama  and  Azai  Sama  as  instructor  in  tojin  learn 
ing.  The  time  appointed  was  early  the  following 
morning. 

Half  the  night  was  spent  listening  to  the  advice 
of  Yoritomo,  who  feared  that  I  might  lose  all 
by  betraying  my  love  in  the  presence  of  others. 
In  return  for  my  promise  to  be  a>  disnvrt  as 
circumstances  would  permit,  he  agreed  to  lay 
the  matter  before  his  father  and  seek  ^interest 
him  in  my  preposterous  attempt  to  \vi«  the 
Princess. 

Armed  with  the  Shogun's  order,  I  set  out  at 
dawn,  travelling  incognito  but  with  the  full  retinue 
allowed  me  by  the  Prince.  On  the  one  side  of 
my  norimon  walked  Fujimaro,  and  on  the  other 
Yuki.  The  latter,  now  fully  recovered  from  his 
wounds  and  torture,  carried  himself  with  the  dig 
nified  assurance  of  the  finest  swordsman  in  Yedo. 

Through  my  palanquin  window  I  gazed  out 
at  the  splendid  fellow  with  pride.  He  was  my 
own  personal  retainer  and  not  one  of  the  servants 
of  the  House  of  Owari  loaned  to  me  for  the  occasion. 
Legally  he  was  no  more  a  member  of  the  clan 
than  myself.  His  family  had  been  enrolled  among 

[297] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

the  Owari  retainers,  but  he  himself  had  expressed 
a  preference  to  be  received  into  my  service.  The 
Prince  had  readily  agreed  to  this  arrangement, 
though  not  because  of  any  reluctance  to  accept 
among  his  retainers  a  ronin  who  had  been 
expelled  from  the  service  of  the  Shogun. 

Yoritomo  had  said  that  it  was  ill-advised  for 
me  to  take  the  former  hatamoto  to  the  palace. 
But  I  felt  certain  that  the  Shogun  would  not 
consider  the  act  an  affront.  Should  he  so  regard 
it,  I  relied  upon  the  excuse  of  my  tojin  ignorance 
and  my  need  for  a  personal  retainer. 

The  morning  was  still  fresh  when  we  entered 
the  citadel  by  the  Sakaruda  Gate.  Having  the 
Shogun 's  order  for  passport,  I  rode  through  and 
did  not  descend  from  my  norimon  until  on  the  point 
of  crossing  one  of  the  inner  moats  into  the  palace 
grounds.  Here  I  was  met  by  Gengo  the  chamber 
lain,  as  ever  suave  to  obsequiousness.  He  did 
not  relish  the  entry  of  his  former  captain  into  the 
palace,  and  suggested  that  Yuki  should  remain 
with  the  rest  of  my  escort.  But  with  due  regard 
to  my  dignity  as  teacher  of  the  Shogun's  children, 
I  insisted  upon  the  attendance  of  both  Yuki  and 
Fujimaro. 

My  determination  won  the  day.  Gengo  started 
off  submissively,  and  led  us  through  the  gardens 
of  the  O  Shiro,  to  the  enclosure  of  the  second 
ary  palace  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the 

[298] 


LESSONS    AND    LOVE 

Shogun's  heir.  The  edifice,  though  small,  was 
exquisitely  finished  in  several  woods,  inlaid  in 
designs  of  odd  beauty.  I  would  have  been  quite 
willing,  however,  to  forego  the  pleasure  of  view 
ing  the  artistic  decorations  of  the  waiting  room 
as  well  as  the  enjoyment  of  the  customary  refresh 
ment  that  was  served  me.  Yet  one  must  needs 
cultivate  patience  if  he  would  dwell  among  an 
Oriental  people. 

Mid-morning  found  me  still  cooling  my  heels 
in  the  waiting  room.  At  last  I  suppose  the  Prince's 
curiosity  overcame  his  inertia.  Gengo  reappeared, 
to  conduct  me  into  the  presence  of  the  heir 
apparent.  Yuki  and  Fujimaro  followed  me  to 
the  threshold  of  the  audience  chamber,  where 
I  signed  to  Gengo  to  take  my  sword  and  bear 
it  in  for  me.  He  demurred,  with  the  statement 
that  to  carry  the  sword  of  a  tojin  into  the  presence 
of  lyesada  Sama  was  not  permissible. 

"Very  well,"  I  replied.  "Yuki  will  be  my 
bearer." 

"Impossible.  None  other  than  my  lord  may 
enter." 

'Then  I  shall  carry  it  in  myself.  I  am  here 
as  the  teacher  of  lyesada  Sama.  I  demand 
the  deference  due  a  teacher." 

At  this  he  took  the  sword  from  me,  and  knelt 
to  enter  the  chamber  of  audience.  I  walked 
after  him  erect.  The  slowness  of  our  progress 

[299] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

up  the  long  apartment  gave  me  ample  time  to 
observe  the  place  and  its  occupants.  All  one 
side  of  the  chamber  was  open  upon  a  fantastic 
garden  of  sand  and  rocks  representing  a  volcanic 
seashore.  Its  bare,  verdureless  stretch  contrasted 
strongly  with  the  richness  and  ultra-delicacy 
of  the  apartment's  decorations. 

My  attention  quickly  centred  upon  the  two 
persons  seated  before  the  gorgeous  tokonoma. 
One  I  recognized  as  Abe  Ise-no-kami,  the  elder 
of  the  two  strange  daimios  at  the  Shogun's  con 
ference.  He  sat  on  the  left  of  a  young  man  whose 
amiable  but  weak  face  answered  to  Yoritomo's 
descriptions  of  the  epileptic  heir  apparent. 

As  I  stalked  up  the  room  behind  the  creeping 
chamberlain,  the  Prince  and  his  companion 
regarded  me  with  looks  of  surprise  that  quickly 
deepened  to  resentment.  The  tojin  was  presum 
ing  to  swagger  into  the  presence  of  the  Shogun's 
son!  But  I  had  planned  my  course  and  was 
sure  of  my  ground.  When  within  a  short  dis 
tance  of  the  angry  sitters,  I  paused  and  gazed  at 
the  Prince  in  stern  reproof. 

"Is  this  the  proper  manner  for  a  pupil  to  receive 
his  teacher?"  I  demanded.  "Can  it  be  that 
lyesada  has  been  misinformed  as  to  the  purpose 
of  my  visit?" 

The  Prince  turned  to  Abe  with  a  look  of  be 
wilderment,  as  if  seeking  aid  and  instruction. 

[300] 


LESSONS    AND    LOVE 

The  Daimio  rose  and  signed  him  to  do  the 
same. 

"Woroto  Sama  is  implored  to  pardon  the  rude 
ness,"  he  said.  "Excuse  is  offered  that  he  was 
not  distinctly  announced  as  a  teacher." 

I  glanced  down  at  the  stooped  figure  of  Gengo. 

lkThe  offence  is  forgotten.  Mistakes  occur  even 
with  the  best  of  intentions.  I  have  come  at  the 
command  of  the  Shogun  to  instruct  his  son  in 
tojin  learning." 

Abe  whispered  a  few  words  to  the  Prince,  who 
promptly  stepped  away  from  his  seat,  and  waved 
me  to  it  with  a  graceful  bow. 

"My  honorable  teacher  is  entreated  to  repose 
himself,"  he  murmured,  in  a  voice  so  like  his 
sister's  as  to  startle  me. 

I  contrived  to  maintain  my  dignity,  and  seated 
myself  in  the  place  of  honor,  with  my  sword  at 
my  right  hand.  As  Gengo  withdrew,  the  Prince 
seated  himself  on  my  left,  between  me  and  Abe. 
After  an  exchange  of  bows  and  formal  greetings, 
I  at  once  entered  upon  my  duties  by  inquiring 
the  Prince's  knowledge  of  the  outside  world. 
It  proved  to  be  scant  and  vague,  yet  gave  me  a 
basis  upon  which  to  build. 

As  a  beginning,  I  gave  a  brief  explanation  of 
the  earth's  relation  to  the  solar  system.  This, 
though  quickly  grasped  by  Abe,  seemed  beyond  the 
comprehension  of  the  Prince,  who  complained 

[3011 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

that  so  strange  a  statement  could  not  be  recon 
ciled  to  the  facts  that  Ama-terasu  the  Sun  Goddess 
had  come  down  to  Dai  Nippon,  and  that  Dai 
Nippon,  the  centre  of  the  universe,  rested  upon 
the  back  of  the  great  fish. 

When  I  sought  to  argue  the  matter,  the  Prince 
became  excited  and  insisted  upon  the  truth  of 
his  myths  with  childish  petulance.  Abe  inter 
vened,  with  tactful  diplomacy,  and  I,  perceiving 
the  weakness  of  the  Prince's  mind,  waived  the 
dispute,  and  sought  to  divert  the  attention  of 
my  pupil  with  descriptions  of  tojin  costume  and 
architecture. 

This  proved  to  be  as  successful  as  my  first  at 
tempt  had  been  unfortunate.  lyesada  at  once  grew 
tranquil  and  exhibited  the  utmost  curiosity  over  the 
absurdities  of  the  hairy  barbarians.  I  illustrated 
my  descriptions  with  sketches,  which  the  Prince 
copied  with  remarkable  facility  and  precision. 

Had  I  given  way  to  the  desire  of  my  pupil, 
I  should  have  continued  with  him  all  day.  But 
I  had  not  come  to  the  palace  to  waste  all  my  time 
on  this  unfortunate  epileptic.  At  the  end  of 
two  hours  I  informed  him  that  it  was  time  to  close 
the  lesson.  When  he  demurred,  with  a  quick 
return  of  petulance,  I  stated  that  it  was  inadvis 
able  to  teach  him  more  at  this  time,  since  I  wished 
him  to  reduce  to  writing  all  the  information  he 
had  received. 

[302] 


LESSONS    AND    LOVE 

Abe  gravely  commended  my  plan  of  instruction, 
and  the  Prince  at  once  deferred  to  his  companion. 
I  withdrew,  having  taught  my  pupil  a  few  valuable 
facts  along  with  a  mass  of  inconsequential  chaff, 
and  having  learned  in  turn  that  he  was  a  capricious 
weakling,  very  much  under  the  influence  of  the 
quiet  Abe  Ise-no-kami. 

\\  ith  Gengo  again  for  guide,  we  left  the  Prince's 
enclosure  and  crossed  over  into  another  walled 
subdivision  of  the  citadel.  Though  I  did  not 
recognize  it  as  the  garden  in  which  I  had  met 
the  Princess,  the  failure  may  have  been  due  to 
an  approach  from  an  opposite  direction.  Enough 
for  me  that  I  was  being  conducted  to  my  adorable 
little  darling. 

This  time  there  was  no  delay.  Yuki  and 
Fujimaro  were  left  in  an  anteroom,  and  I  was 
conducted  to  the  seat  of  honor  in  the  adjoining 
reception  chamber.  The  room,  which  was  deco 
rated  with  elegant  simplicity,  overlooked  a  minia 
ture  landscape  garden  of  rocks  and  ferns  and 
dwarfed  trees. 

Hardly  had  Gengo  withdrawn  to  the  anteroom 
when  a  side  screen  drew  aside  to  admit  a  dozen 
or  more  demure  and  graceful  samurai  ladies. 
They  ranged  themselves  along  the  side  of  the 
room,  midway  down,  and  kowtowed  to  me.  As 
I  nodded  with  the  austerity  becoming  a  daimio 
in  the  presence  of  women,  O  Setsu  San  entered 

[303] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

and  knelt.  Close  after  appeared  my  little  Prin 
cess,  smiling  yet  demure,  composed  yet  graciously 
eager  to  welcome  her  august  teacher. 

Softly  she  glided  out  past  her  ladies-in-waiting 
and  sank  down  before  me  with  her  white  forehead 
upon  the  mat.  :'Ten  thousand  felicitous  years 
to  my  Lord  Woroto!"  she  murmured. 

'The  good  wish  of  Azai  Sama  is  acknowledged," 
I  replied.  ''The  august  lady  is  requested  to  seat 
herself  at  the  left  hand  of  her  teacher." 

"Pardon,  my  lord,  but  it  is  not  permissible 
for  a  woman  to  sit  in  the  presence  of  one  so  vastly 
above  her." 

"Let  two  boxes  of  this  height  be  brought," 
I  ordered,  holding  my  hand  at  the  height  of  a 
chair. 

0  Setsu  San  glided  out,  and  returned  in  a  few 
moments   with   a   pair   of  lacquered   cases   about 
the  size  of  tea  chests.     I  signed  her  to  set  them 
down  near  the  side  of  the  room  that  faced  the 
garden. 

"As  teacher  of  the  tojin  learning  and  customs," 
I  explained,  "I  will  begin  by  showing  the  Princess 
the  tojin  etiquette  practised  between  a  gentleman 
and  a  lady.  The  Princess  will  be  pleased  to  act 
as  directed." 

1  rose    and    offered    her    my    hand.     "May    I 
have  the  pleasure  of  assisting  you  to  rise?" 

Azai  glanced  up  at  me  with  a  startled  look. 
[304] 


LESSONS    AND    LOVE 

I  smiled.      'The  august  lady  is  to  take  my  hand, 
and  say,  'You  are  very  kind." 

"You  are  very  kind,  my  lord!"  she  whispered, 
and  half  averting  her  head,  she  entrusted  one  of 
her  tiny  hands  to  me. 

I  drew  her  up,  stepped  back,  and  swept  her  a 
bow  in  Occidental  style.  "Permit  me  to  conduct 
you  to  a  seat." 

She  looked  at  me  in  a  puzzled  manner,  and  I 
explained  with  utmost  gravity:  "You  will  bow - 
no,  not  to  the  floor,  only  a  little  more  than  I.     In 
this  fashion  —  so !  that  is  better.     Now  place  the 
fingers  of  one  hand  upon  my  arm." 

The  tips  of  her  fingers  touched  the  silk  sleeve 
of  my  proffered  arm  with  the  lightness  of  a  perching 
butterfly.  I  escorted  her  to  the  nearest  chest, 
bowed,  and  turned  back  for  a  cushion.  Placing 
it  upon  the  chest,  I  took  her  hand  and  assisted 
her  to  seat  herself,  facing  the  garden.  But 
when  I  drew  the  other  chest  nearer  and  was  about 
to  sit,  she  stopped  me  with  a  quick  little  cry, 
and  fluttered  back  to  fetch  me  my  cushion  from 
before  the  tokonoma.  As  she  knelt  to  place  it 
on  my  chest  I  looked  down  at  her  with  well- 
feigned  severity. 

'The  august  lady  forgets  that  she  is  receiving 
a  lesson." 

"Pardon,  my  lord!  But  could  I  permit  my 
august  teacher  to  seat  himself  without  his  cushion?" 

[305] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"The  august  lady  will  remember  that  she  is 
receiving  a  lesson  in  tojin  etiquette.  Among 
my  people  the  gentleman  always  attends  upon 
the  lady." 

So  preposterous  a  reversal  of  all  the  rules  of 
propriety  compelled  the  bevy  of  ladies  across  the 
room  from  us  to  murmur  in  astonishment.  But 
Azai  meekly  permitted  me  to  assist  her  again  to 
her  seat.  Before  seating  myself  I  assumed  my 
austere  manner  and  sought  to  forestall  criticism 
by  another  explanation:  "The  august  lady  is  now 
to  converse  freely,  as  to  an  equal,  on  music  and 
art  and  flower  arrangements  and  the  amusements 
permitted  young  ladies." 

I  glanced  across  at  the  ladies-in-waiting.  Quickly 
as  they  lowered  their  eyes,  I  caught  their  stare  of 
mingled  curiosity,  wonder,  and  merriment.  Only 
Setsu  was  regarding  me  with  a  frown.  She  was 
not  pleased  with  the  game  I  was  playing  in  the 
face  of  all  present  and  perhaps  of  some  not  present. 
It  is  easy  to  make  a  peep-hole  through  a  paper 
screen. 

But  I  had  gone  too  far  to  withdraw.  I  seated 
myself,  and,  with  a  wave  of  my  hand  towards 
the  garden,  murmured  ardently:  "Azai!  we  must 
make  gestures  and  pretend  to  be  talking  of  flowers 
and  art,  but  you  know  what  my  heart  burns  to 
say  to  you!" 

"My  lord!  Love  is  surely  a  gift  of  the  gods! 
[306] 


LESSONS    AND    LOVE 

All  these  days  I  have  been  wrapped  about  as  it 
were  in  a  dream  of  wonder  and  delight!  How  is 
it  possible  that  so  low  and  mean  a  creature  as  I 
can  be  loved  by  my  lord?" 

"Is  an  angel  a  low  or  mean  creature?  Little 
Princess,  because  you  are  in  the  world,  the  sun 
is  bright,  the  moon  silvery.  The  stars  twinkle 
with  joy  when  you  smile  up  into  the  gloomy  sky. 
I  have  no  need  to  see  the  cherry  blossoms  of 
Nippon  -  - 1  have  seen  you !  When  you  speak 
I  fancy  the  nightingale  is  singing!" 

"My  lord,"  she  whispered,  "such  praise  is  as  far 
above  my  worthlessness  as  the  sun  above  the  abyss. 
May  Kwannon  grant  me  the  joy  of  serving  my  lord 
for  the  space  of  seven  existences!" 

"For  all  time,  Azai  --  we  shall  be  linked  together 
in  mutual  love  and  service!  We  are  fated  to  be 
united  throughout  eternity." 

"My  lord!"  she  murmured,  '.•  and  she  turned 
to  bend  to  me,  her  dark  eyes  beaming  with  unutter 
able  love  and  devotion. 

"Look  to  the  front!"  I  warned  her,  and  again 
I  pointed  to  the  garden  as  if  remarking  upon  one 
of  the  dwarfed  trees.  She  recovered  her  com 
posure  on  the  instant.  Yet  I  perceived  that  the 
situation  was  more  difficult  than  I  had  the  right 
to  require  of  her.  I  turned  to  the  rear  and 
remarked.:  "Among  my  people  it  is  customary 
for  ladies  to  entertain  visitors  with  music." 

[307] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Azai  turned  about  also,  and  made  a  sign  to 
Setsu.  The  girl  went  out  with  a  companion  and 
brought  in  a  koto,  an  instrument  resembling  a 
large  horizontal  harp  or  zithern.  This  was  an 
agreeable  surprise  to  me.  So  far  I  had  heard 
only  the  samisens  of  the  geisha,  and  their  notes 
are  particularly  discordant  to  Occidental  ears. 

Now  I  was  to  hear  the  instrument  of  the  samurai 
ladies,  played  by  none  other  than  Azai  herself. 
She  adjusted  the  ivory  plectrums  upon  her  plump 
little  fingers  and,  kneeling  beside  the  koto,  began 
to  play.  Though  mostly  in  the  minor  key  and 
full  of  quick  transitions  that  were  often  discordant 
to  me,  her  music  had  many  passages  of  plaintive 
sweetness.  My  enjoyment  may  have  been  due 
in  part  to  the  personality  of  the  player,  for  the 
Occidental  ear  is  not  attuned  to  Oriental  music. 
Yet  the  koto  is  certainly  far  more  harmonious 
than  the  twanging  samisen. 

When  the  Princess  finished  playing,  I  called 
for  writing  materials,  and  attempted  by  means 
of  words  and  drawings  to  describe  the  harpsichord 
and  pianoforte.  I  used  one  of  the  chests  as  a 
table  for  drawing  my  figures,  and  it  was  necessary 
for  Azai  to  kneel  across  from  me  that  she  might 
bend  near  enough  to  follow  the  lines  I  drew  to 
illustrate  my  explanations.  It  was  natural  that 
our  glances  should  meet.  I  saw  my  soul  in  her 
sweet  eyes. 

[308] 


LESSONS    AND    LOVE 

In  the  midst,  one  of  the  wall  screens  at  the  foot 
of  the  room  was  flung  open,  and  Gengo  the 
chamberlain  entered,  insolently  erect. 

"His  Highness  the  Tycoon  commands  the 
presence  of  the  tojin"  he  announced. 

"Kwannon!"  gasped  Azai,  and  she  sprang  up 
to  interpose  her  slender  figure  between  me  and 
the  chamberlain.  "My  lord  —  I  fear!  Should 
it  mean  —  the  worst  —  I  will  rejoin  my  lord!" 

"Not  that  —  not  that!"  I  protested. 

"Without  my  lord  I  could  not  live!  If  my 
lord  goes  from  this  life,  I  will  follow!" 

Her  eyes  glowed  up  into  mine  with  that  light 
of  utter  devotion.  If  I  died,  she  also  would  die. 
There  was  no  hope  of  dissuading  her.  I  bowed 
in  formal  leave.  She  kowtowed  with  her  ladies. 
I  advanced  to  Gengo  and  passed  out  without 
a  backward  glance. 


[309] 


CHAPTER    XXIV  -  -  ENSNARED 

IN  the  anteroom  my  austerity  subdued  Gengo 
to    his    usual    obsequiousness.     He    bowed 
low  before  my  glance,  and  ushered  me  out 
with    the    utmost    deference.     But    as    we 
recrossed   into   the   enclosure   of   the   main 
palace  he  halted  and  signed  to  Yuki  and  Fuji- 
maro  to  turn  aside. 

"Rejoin  your  fellow-retainers,"  he  commanded. 
"No.     Follow  me,"  I  interposed. 
"It  is  not  permissible,"  stated  the  chamberlain. 
"It    was   permissible    when    I    came    with    the 
Prince  of  Owari." 

''The  tojin  sama  is  not  Owari  dono." 
:'The  Shogun  has  summoned  me.     My  attend 
ants  accompany  me  to  the  waiting  room.     Lead 
on." 

Again  my  stern  composure  overcame  his  servile 
nature.  He  led  us  through  the  garden  to  one  of 
the  side  entrances  of  the  palace.  In  the  first 
room  three  other  officials  appeared  and  called 
upon  my  attendants  to  halt.  Fujimaro  and  Yuki 
stopped  and  kowtowed.  I  gave  over  my  sword 
and  dirk  to  Yuki,  and  proceeded  with  Gengo 
and  one  of  the  other  officials. 

[310] 


ENSNARED 

Hastening  along  a  broad  corridor,  we  soon 
came  to  a  room  full  of  armed  guards,  who 
crouched  in  a  peculiar  posture,  with  hands  on  their 
swordhilts,  as  though  about  to  leap  up.  The 
room  was  without  screens  along  the  hall,  but 
was  closed  on  the  side  adjoining  the  Shogun's 
audience  chamber,  into  which  the  corridor  opened 
a  few  paces  farther  on.  At  the  threshold  the 
second  official  halted.  Gengo  kowtowed  and 
began  to  crawl  up  the  mats  of  the  audience  hall. 

The  Shogun  was  seated  on  a  low  dais,  behind 
\vhich  a  group  of  guards  crouched  in  the  same 
posture  as  those  in  the  anteroom.  Before  the 
Shogun,  on  the  right,  knelt  five  officials.  Of 
these,  the  nearest  one  to  the  dais  was  Midzuano 
Echizen-no-kami,  from  which  I  inferred  that  the 
four  others  wrere  his  fellow-members  of  the  Council 
of  Elders.  All  turned  and  stared  at  me  as  I 
stalked  up  the  chamber  after  Gengo.  But  the 
Shogun  sat  with  eyes  downcast,  contemplating 
the  fan  which  he  held  unopened  upon  his  lap. 

Several  mats  short  of  the  dais  Gengo  kowtowed 
and  drew  aside.  I  advanced  much  nearer,  kow 
towed,  and  rose  to  my  knees  to  face  the  Shogun. 
My  heart  sank.  His  gloomy  eyes  were  fixed  upon 
me  in  a  menacing  stare.  It  was  evident  that  he 
was  greatly  angered  at  me,  and  Midzuano  was 
present  to  spur  him  on  to  extremes.  I  contrived 
to  smile  and  utter  a  courtier's  phrase:  "Your 

[311] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Highness  has  commanded.  The  tojin  hastens 
to  render  service." 

"The  tojin  is  ill  advised  to  use  the  word 
'service,"  rejoined  the  Shogun  harshly.  "It 
is  said  that  Woroto  has  taken  into  his  service 
Yuki  the  ronin.  Such  an  act  cannot  be  regarded 
other  than  as  a  reflection  upon  my  justice." 

"Your  Highness,"  I  replied,  "it  is  the  glory 
of  Japanese  justice  that  deeds  are  considered  in 
the  light  of  motives  and  circumstances.  Doubt 
less  the  members  of  the  august  Elder  Council 
have  sought  to  persuade  Your  Highness  that  I 
made  Yuki  my  swordbearer  with  the  deliberate 
intent  to  affront  the  Sei-i-tai  Shogun.  In  such 
matters,  Your  Highness,  certain  classes  of  the 
tojin  peoples  are  very  plain-spoken.  On  my  honor 
as  a  man  of  highest  birth  among  my  people,  I 
say  that  if  such  an  allegation  has  been  made, 
it  is  a  malicious  lie  and  slander." 

'The  tojin  speaks  with  an  excess  of  heat," 
murmured  the  Chief  Counsellor.  "Let  him  give 
proof  that  he  is  slandered." 

"First  let  my  defamer  give  proof  of  the  charge 
against  me,"  I  retorted. 

:'You  do  not  deny  having  taken  the  ronin 
into  your  service,"  said  the  Shogun. 

"In  the  midst  of  my  trial  before  the  High 
Court,  Your  Highness,  the  Daimio  of  Satsuma 
interposed  to  save  Yuki  from  further  torture, 

[312] 


ENSNARED 

and  honored  him  with  a  priceless  gift.  Does 
Midzuano  charge  the  Daimio  with  affronting 
Your  Highness?" 

"The  Lord  of  Satsuma  did  not  take  the  ronin 
into  his  service." 

"For  the  reason,  Your  Highness,  that  I  spoke 
first.  Ask  the  Daimio  if  he  does  not  regret  his  delay. 
Yet  any  thought  of  aspersion  upon  the  justice 
of  Your  Highness  was  as  far  from  my  mind 
as  from  the  Daimio's.  And  in  justice  to  a  most 
loyal  subject,  I  must  declare  that  among  all  the 
hatamotos  there  is  none  truer  than  Yuki.  In 
the  hour  of  humiliation  the  brave  man  bowed  to  the 
justice  of  his  lord  without  a  murmur.  So  devoted 
was  his  loyalty  that  he  endured  torture  rather 
than  testify  against  those  who  had  saved  the 
daughter  of  Your  Highness  from  ronin  capture." 

The  Shogun  bent  towards  me  with  sudden 
deepening  of  his  frown.  "Insolent  barbarian! 
do  you  dare  speak  of  your  artifice?" 

"My  artifice,  Your  Highness?" 

"Can  you  deny  that  the  attack  of  the  ronins 
was  a  prearranged  plot  by  which  you  and  Yori- 
tomo  profited?"  demanded  Midzuano. 

The  subtle  intriguer  was  actually  charging  us 
with  the  villainy  of  his  own  party.  The  sudden 
springing  of  the  snare  caused  me  to  hesitate. 

"Answer!"  cried  the  Shogun.  "You  and  your 
accomplices  knew  beforehand  of  the  plot." 

[313] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"We  knew  beforehand  that  Keiki  had  plotted 
the  attack  — " 

"Keiki?" 

"He  set  the  Mi  to  ronins  upon  the  cortege  of 
the  Princess,  expecting  to  rescue  her  at  the  last 
moment,  and  so  gain  the  favor  of  Your  Highness." 

"Did  I  not  foretell  to  Your  Highness  that  they 
would  seek  to  divert  the  charge  of  guilt  from  them 
selves  by  some  such  incredible  tale?"  murmured 
the  Chief  Counsellor.  "Keiki  Sama  did  not 
appear  until  after  the  massacre.  But  this  tojin 
and  his  fellow-spy  followed  the  cortege  in  dis 
guise  from  beyond  the  outer  moat.  If  they  knew 
beforehand  of  the  intended  attack  and  were 
innocent  of  complicity,  why  did  they  not  warn 
the  cortege?" 

To  refute  such  subtleness  was  beyond  me. 
The  best  I  could  do  was  to  assume  a  bold  front. 

"As  a  kinsman  of  Owari,  I  do  not  choose  to 
answer  the  queries  of  the  partisan  of  Mito," 
I  declared. 

"Not  even  to  explain  why  you  held  off  until 
the  ronins  had  slaughtered  the  hatamotos,  and  why 
the  ronins  fled  before  two  men  when  they  had 
slain  a  score?"  interrogated  Midzuano. 

"Give  me  a  sword  and  confront  me  with  a 
Mito  partisan  in  full  armor,"  I  rejoined.  "One 
reason  for  the  fleeing  of  the  ronins  will  shortly 
be  made  apparent." 

[314] 


ENSNARED 

"Enough  of  the  ronin  attack  and  of  Yuki  the 
ronin"  said  the  Shogun.  'There  remains  a  mat 
ter  that  more  nearly  concerns  my  honor.  Gengo 
will  repeat  his  account  of  the  outrageous  conduct 
of  the  tojin  in  the  palace  of  the  Princess." 

I  flushed  crimson  with  rage.  The  treacherous 
chamberlain  had  stolen  out  during  my  instruction 
of  Azai,  to  aid  Midzuano  in  setting  this  snare 
for  my  destruction.  I  met  the  gaze  of  the  Shogun 
with  a  look  as  angry  as  his  own,  and  said  with 
deliberate  reproof:  "In  my  land  men  of  noble 
blood  do  not  publicly  discuss  matters  concerning 
ladies." 

He  made  a  sign  with  his  fan,  and  commanded: 
"All  others  than  Midzuano  will  withdraw  beyond 
earshot." 

;'The  matter  is  between  Your  Highness  and 
myself,"  I  said.  "My  life  is  in  the  hand  of 
Minamoto  lyeyoshi.  Rather  than  speak  in  the 
presence  of  a  third  person,  I  am  prepared  to  die 
without  benefit  of  medicine." 

The  Shogun  again  signed  with  his  fan.  Mid 
zuano  rose  to  his  knees  and  shuffled  away  after 
the  others.  I  was  left  alone  in  front  of  the  dais, 
still  too  angry  to  flinch  before  the  Shogun's  frown 
and  the  menace  of  his  eyes. 

"Your  Highness  has  condemned  me  without 
a  hearing,"  I  charged.  "Is  that  the  boasted 
justice  of  Dai  Nippon?" 

[315] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Such  insolence  is  of  itself  worthy  of  death!" 
he  exclaimed. 

;' Your  Highness,"  I  replied,  "I  come  of  a  family 
so  proud  that  it  is  a  degradation  for  me  to  kowtow 
even  before  the  exalted  ruler  of  Nippon,  yet  my 
desire  to  serve  has  caused  me  to  humble  myself." 

''The  rudeness  of  the  tojin  might  be  forgiven 
on  the  plea  of  his  ignorance.  Not  so  an  insult 
to  the  Princess  my  daughter." 

''Your  Highness  has  listened  to  the  lying  tales 
of  my  enemies.  I  would  sooner  strike  off  my  right 
hand  than  insult  the  Princess  Azai.  Your  High 
ness  does  ill  to  heed  the  malicious  slanders  of 
those  who  condemned  me  on  false  charges  and 
who,  when  baffled  by  the  command  of  Your 
Highness,  laid  an  ambush  for  me  in  the  garden 
of  the  Princess." 

"In  the  garden  of  the  Princess!  —  ambush!"  he 
repeated. 

"Upon  the  first  day  of  the  panic,"  I  said,  and 
I  gave  him  a  concise  account  of  all  that  had 
occurred  from  the  interruption  of  my  passage  to 
Owari  Yashiki  by  Gengo  to  my  rescue  by  the 
Princess  on  the  bridge. 

"  Namida!"  he  muttered,  when  I  came  to  a  pause. 
"I  cannot  put  to  torture  a  man  whom  she  saved." 

:'Your  Highness,"  I  replied,  hastening  to  take 
advantage  of  this  betrayal  of  tenderness,  "the 
happiness  of  a  child  is  one  of  the  fondest  wishes 

[316] 


ENSNARED 

of  a  parent.  I  ask  permission  to  speak  openly, 
after  the  manner  of  my  people." 

He  studied  me  for  some  moments,  between 
curiosity  and  rankling  anger.  Curiosity  won. 
"Speak  according  to  the  manner  of  your  people," 
he  commanded. 

I  bowed.  "Let  Your  Highness  bear  in  mind 
that  whatever  I  say,  though  contrary  to  Japanese 
etiquette,  is  spoken  with  utmost  deference  and 
respect  for  yourself  and  the  Princess  Azai." 

"Speak,"  he  repeated,  masking  his  anger  behind 
an  inscrutable  calm. 

"In  the  first  place,"  I  began,  "Your  Highness 
should  know  that  Yoritomo  Sama,  my  friend 
and  brother  in  spirit,  has  vowed  to  enter  the 
monastery  of  Zozoji.  Your  Highness  may  re 
call  the  statement  of  Azai  Sama,  made  upon  the 
occasion  of  my  first  audience  with  Your  Highness. 
In  the  chief  temple  of  Shiba,  below  the  image  of 
the  Goddess  of  Mercy,  was  where  the  Princess 
and  I  first  gazed  into  each  other's  eyes." 

The  Shogun  started,  and  a  threatening  flash 
shot  from  his  sombre  eyes.  But  again  he  masked 
all  feeling  behind  a  look  of  inquisitorial  coldness. 

I  continued:  "Is  it  an  error  to  believe  that  my 
meetings  with  the  august  lady  have  been  guided 
by  a  higher  cause  than  human  will  or  blind  chance? 
As  I  have  said,  we  first  saw  one  another  before 
Kwannon,  in  the  sanctuary  of  the  temple.  Our 

[317] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

second  meeting  was  in  the  midst  of  battle  and 
slaughter;  the  third  in  the  presence  of  Your 
Highness,  when  I  was  received  as  the  kinsman 
of  Owari  dono  and  as  a  daimio  of  the  first  class; 
the  fourth  in  her  garden,  when  she  saved  me  from 
the  treacherous  plot  of  my  enemies  - 

"Proof  is  yet  to  be  made  that  either  Keiki  or 
Midzuano  knew  of  the  attack.  You  have  your 
self  stated  Gengo's  claim  that  he  was  confused 
by  reason  of  the  great  terror  which  lay  upon  all. 
The  gate  watch  had  only  to  discover  your  presence 
in  the  forbidden  enclosure,  to  charge  upon  you." 

"I  have  presented  the  facts  so  far  as  I  know 
them,  Your  Highness.  What  I  now  wish  to  make 
clear  is  how  Fate  has  brought  together  myself 
and  the  august  lady.  Twice  Your  Highness 
called  upon  your  daughter  to  serve  the  tojin 
guest.  It  cannot  be  that  Your  Highness  failed 
to  perceive  that  her  soul  shone  in  my  eyes  - 

"Namida!"  he  broke  in.  "For  far  less  pre 
sumption  men  have  been  sawn  asunder  —  cruci 
fied  !  —  burned ! " 

"Is  the  presumption  so  great  when  considera 
tion  is  taken  of  the  honor  accorded  me  by  Your 
Highness?  As  the  acknowledged  peer  of  the 
Prince  of  Owari  and  the  Daimio  of  Satsuma  — ' 

"Hairy  barbarian!"  he  flung  at  me. 

"Your  Highness  has  read  the  memorial  of 
Yoritomo  Sanaa,"  I  replied.  "My  people  are 

[318] 


ENSNARED 

as  vastly  above  your  people  in  some  respects  as 
your  people  are  above  mine  in  others.  Another 
matter  —  who  may  say  whence  our  souls  come 
and  whither  they  go?  My  friend  Yoritomo  con 
tends  that  the  august  lady  and  I  must  have  loved 
one  another  in  a  previous  incarnation.  This  I 
do  not  know,  but  I  do  know  that  I  have  seen  my 
soul  in  the  eyes  of  the  Princess." 

His  face  darkened  with  a  sudden  return  of  anger, 
but  his  voice  was  constrained  to  a  false  calmness: 
"It  is  now  perceived  that  the  tojin  is  a  madman. 
Permission  is  granted  him  to  withdraw." 

;' Your  Highness!"  I  protested.  ;' The  happiness 
of  the  Princess  - 

"Her  happiness  and  honor  will  be  safe  in  the 
keeping  of  her  husband.  She  shall  wed  Keiki, 
the  son  of  Mi  to." 

"Keiki?"  I  cried.  ;'The  man  who  sought  to 
disgrace  her?" 

"Does  the  tojin  still  hold  to  that  lie?  Enough! 
His  punishment  will  be  considered,  and  command 
sent  in  due  time.  —  Go!" 

There  was  no  hope  for  me  in  the  cold  menace 
of  his  look.  Yet  I  did  not  give  way  to  any  out 
ward  display  of  the  fear  and  despair  that  was 
within  me.  Sustained  by  the  pride  of  race  and 
blood,  I  forced  a  smile,  and  kowtowed  and  with 
drew,  complying  with  the  most  punctilious  require 
ments  of  court  etiquette. 

[319] 


CHAPTER     XXV  —  HARA-KIRI 

NOT  until  I  stood  in  my  own  apart 
ments  in  Owari  Yashiki,  alone  with 
Yoritomo,  did   I   give   way   to  the 
tempest  within  my  soul.    Even  then 
the  frailness  of  the  walls  compelled 
me  to   speak  with   lowered   voice,   but  my  pent- 
up  rage  and  despair  vented  themselves  in  a  flood 
of  bitter  complaint.     Never  had  I  seen  my  friend 
so  concerned.     Yet  it  was  the  outcome  he  had 
predicted,  and  he  could  give  me  no  hope. 

"I    grieve   for   you,    Worth,"    he    said.     :<You 
have  learned  the  truth.     The  remotest  suggestion 
of  your  desire  would  seem  madness  to  lyeyoshi." 
"But  she  loves  me  - 

"The  daughters  of  daimios  and  shoguns  are 
presumed  not  to  love  until  after  marriage.  Your 
statement  to  him  that  she  loved  you  was  most 
unfortunate.  Even  a  samurai  of  the  lowest  rank 
would  consider  such  a  declaration  an  aspersion 
upon  his  family  honor.  Had  it  not  been  for  that— 

"Forgive  me,  Tomo!  I  have  played  into  the 
hands  of  your  enemies  —  I  have  endangered  all 
your  plans!  The  tyrant  will  not  stop  at  punish 
ing  me.  He  ,will  wreak  his  anger  upon  those  who 

[320] 


HARA-KIRI 

have  harbored  the  hated  tojin.  I  shall  leave 
Owari  Yashiki  at  once  and  turn  ronin,  taking 
with  me  Yuki.  Neither  of  us  shall  continue  to 
bring  danger  upon  the  House  of  Owari." 

For  some  moments  he  sat  silent,  regarding  me 
with  a  smile  of  womanly  tenderness.  When  he 
replied  he  spoke  as  if  quoting  from  the  Chinese 
classics:  "Far  better  is  death  in  the  consciousness 
of  honor  than  a  grovelling  prosperity.  The  laws 
of  hospitality  are  sacred :  they  may  not  be  vio 
lated.  A  house  that  cannot  stand  upright  should 
fall." 

;'The  House  of  Owari  bears  the  weight  of  the 
contest  against  Mito,"  I  argued.  "The  enemies 
of  Owari  seek  to  use  the  harboring  of  the  tojin 
as  a  lever  to  overthrow  the  real  friends  of  Nippon." 

"It  is  of  no  avail,  Worth,"  he  said.  "Your 
sacrifice  would  result  in  no  good.  If  we  are  not 
strong  enough  to  shelter  you,  we  are  not  strong 
enough  to  resist  Mito.  The  matter  is  in  my  hands, 
not  yours.  Let  writing  materials  be  brought." 

"What  would  your  do?"  I  demanded,  seized 
with  a  premonition  of  his  purpose. 

He  smiled  almost  gayly.  :<The  time  has  come 
for  me  to  give  myself  for  the  success  of  my  mission." 

"Tomo,"  I  cried,  "not  that!  not  that!" 

"What  is  death?"  he  argued.  "A  passing 
from  blind  form  to  unhampered  spirit;  a  freeing 
of  the  bonds  of  earthly  desire.  Other  and  higher 

[321] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

incarnations  await  him  who  has  sought  to  over 
come  self." 

'Tomo,  I  have  brought  you  to  this  fearful 
thought  —  I  can  never  forgive  myself!" 

;'You  have  nothing  to  forgive,  Worth.  You 
are  in  no  manner  responsible  for  what  I  am  about 
to  do.  That  was  determined  upon  by  me  before  I  so 
much  as  saw  your  ship  in  Kagoshima  Bay.  How 
often  have  I  told  you  that  my  life  has  been  vowed?  " 

:'Yet  it  might  not  have  been  required!  It  is 
my  selfishness  that  is  forcing  you  to  this  dreadful 
decision.  At  the  best  I  am  a  condemned  man. 
It  is  my  right  to  do  what  little  I  can  to  free  the 
House  of  Owari  from  blame." 

'The  House  of  Owari  stands  or  falls  in  honor. 
To  thrust  you  out  as  a  ronin  would  stain  that 
honor,  and  it  would  rightfully  be  considered 
as  evidence  of  weakness.  No,  brother!  There 
is  one  chance,  and  only  one,  to  check  the  intrigues 
of  Mito." 

I  shuddered.  "So  dreadful  a  death,  Tomo! 
Could  I  but  take  your  place!" 

"I  am  samurai  bred.  It  is  a  privilege  to  offer 
one's  life  in  a  great  cause.  You,  I  fear,  will  have 
the  harder  task.  I  shall  ask  you  to  perform  for 
me  the  service  of  best  friend." 

''You  mean—?" 

'You  will  act  as  my  chief  second  in  the 
ceremony." 

[322] 


HARA-KIRI 

"No!    no!"    I    cried,  quivering    with    horror. 
"If  you   cannot   be  turned   from  your  dreadful 
sacrifice,  let  Yuki  —  but  I  —  the  very  thought  - 
inyGod!" 

"Yuki  is  your  retainer.  I  will  accept  him  as 
my  inferior  second.  You  are  my  friend  and  equal. 
I  ask  you  to  perform  the  highest  office  of  friend 
ship." 

"No!"  I  protested.  "The  very  thought  is 
too  terrible!  I  cannot  endure  it." 

;'The  chief  second  is  not  always  required  to 
act,"  he  said.  "I  may  have  the  fortitude  to 
dispense  with  assistance.  Will  you  not  render  me 
this  great  service  of  friendship?  It  is  the  custom. 
You  will  win  the  gratitude  of  my  father,  the 
grateful  respect  of  the  Owari  clansmen.  Promise 
me  the  favor." 

"Tomo!  you  know  how  abhorrent  to  all  my 
Western  ideas  - 

"It  is  the  highest  office  of  friendship.  My 
brother,  you  admire  the  samurai  spirit  because 
it  is  in  your  blood.  No  samurai  will  flinch  when 
duty  demands.  You  are  my  friend,  my  kinsman. 
You  will  serve  me,  Worth!  With  my  sword  in 
your  hands,  I  will  undertake  the  ceremony  certain 
of  an  honorable  outcome.  Remember,  you  are 
now  a  son  of  Dai  Nippon." 

"You  insist?  —  Good  God!" 

"In  honor  to  your  dearest  friend  — " 
[323] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"I  am  only  a  tojin.  They  will  call  my  service 
a  dishonor." 

"You  have  been  received  by  lyeyoshi  as  the 
equal  of  Satsuma.  I  have  no  other  friend.  Will 
you  fail  me  in  my  need?" 

"My  God!"  I  cried.     "How  can  I?" 

"I  speak  only  of  friendship.  I  will  not  urge 
your  assent  on  the  ground  of  consideration  for 
my  father.  For  the  sake  of  Dai  Nippon,  I  went 
out  into  your  tojin  world  and  returned  to  die. 
You  chose  to  return  with  me,  brother.  Will 
you  now  forsake  me  in  my  need?" 

Suddenly  the  veil  of  horror  parted  before  me, 
and  I  saw  the  intended  sacrifice  with  the  eyes 
of  my  friend.  lyeyoshi  had  been  duped  by  the 
wiles  of  the  reactionaries.  The  Mito  party,  if 
not  quickly  checkmated,  would  turn  the  Shogunate 
against  all  progress  and  greet  the  American  expe 
dition  upon  its  return  with  an  attack  no  less  vicious 
than  futile.  After  that,  war  and  reprisals;  bom 
bardments  by  the  black  ships,  rebellion,  inter 
necine  war,  and  a  weakened  Government;  harsh 
demands  by  the  domineering  tojin  powers  — 
possibly  a  conquest! 

What  more  inspiring  than  the  thought  that 
all  might  be  averted  by  the  giving  of  one  life? 
My  friend  was  about  to  offer  himself  as  a  willing 
sacrifice  for  the  good  of  his  country.  It  was  my 
privilege  to  ease  the  ordeal  for  him  and  to  lend 

[324] 


HARA-KIRI 

an  added  dignity  to  the  ceremony.  What  did 
it  matter  if  my  Occidental  prejudices  were  shocked 
and  horrified  at  the  part  required  of  me?  To  the 
Japanese  it  was  an  almost  sacred  duty.  He  had 
well  said  that  it  was  the  highest  service  a  man 
could  render  a  friend. 

"I  —  will  serve  —  you,  Tomo!"  I  gasped. 

He  sprang  up,  beaming.  :<  There  is  no  time  to 
lose.  Send  Yuki  to  Shinagawa  for  Kohana.  I 
must  see  my  father  and  prepare  a  declaratory 
testament  to  be  presented  to  the  Shogun.  Fuji- 
maro  will  make  all  the  necessary  arrangements. 
Until  the  time  comes,  brother  - 

He  turned  to  go,  but  I  sprang  before  him  to 
grasp  his  hand.  "Tomo!  must  it  really  be? 
Is  there  no  other  way?" 

"Your  sorrow  is  my  sole  regret,"  he  replied. 
"All  others  whom  I  love  will  rejoice  with  me  in 
my  deed." 

To  this  I  had  no  reply.  He  gave  my  hand  a 
responsive  grip,  and  hastened  out.  I  sank  down, 
overcome  with  a  wave  of  returning  grief  and 
horror.  But  he  had  said  there  was  need  for  haste. 
I  sat  up  and  clapped  sharply  for  Fujimaro  and 
Yuki.  They  entered  and  bowed  to  receive  my 
urgent  commands.  Yuki  rushed  out  to  ride  post 
haste  to  Shinagawa,  Fujimaro  to  make  arrange 
ments  for  the  ceremony  of  hara-kiri.  I  was  left 
alone  with  my  anguish. 

[325] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Twilight  approached.  My  attendants  came 
with  lamps  and  the  evening  meal.  I  could  not 
eat,  and  I  dared  not  refresh  myself  with  sake. 
There  was  need  for  me  to  retain  perfect  control 
of  mind  and  body.  I  could  do  nothing  but 
suffer  and  wait  for  the  terrible  moment,  hiding 
my  pain  as  best  I  could  behind  a  mask  of  aus 
terity. 

At  last  Yuki  came  to  announce  his  return  with 
Kohana  San.  I  ordered  the  geisha  brought  in 
and  Yoritomo  notified.  As  the  girl  kowtowed 
before  me  I  saw  by  her  pallor  that  she  had  been 
told.  Yet  she  had  the  fortitude  to  smile  and 
murmur  the  usual  complimentary  greetings.  Only 
once  I  caught  her  gaze  and  read  in  her  agonized 
eyes  the  grief  and  despair  which  etiquette  com 
pelled  her  to  conceal. 

Soon  Yoritomo  entered,  gravely  serene,  yet 
radiant  with  the  solemn  joy  of  self-sacrifice.  His 
final  testament  was  in  the  hands  of  his  father. 
All  was  now  in  readiness  for  him  to  undergo 
the  ultimate  test  of  sincerity.  When  he  seated 
himself  beside  me  Kohana  prostrated  herself 
at  his  feet.  He  regarded  her  with  the  tender 
compassion  of  a  saint  for  a  suffering  child. 

"Kohana  is  of  samurai  blood,"  he  said.  "She 
knows  that  death  is  a  small  matter." 

"The  servant  implores  the  honorable  joy  of 
following  her  lord!"  she  murmured. 

[326] 


HARA-KIRI 

"Greater  service  is  asked,"  he  replied.  "Those 
whom  I  leave  behind  may  still  profit  by  the 
craft  of  Kohana." 

"Must  I  then  linger?"  she  sobbed.  The  weak 
ness  was  only  of  a  moment's  duration.  She 
looked  up,  her  face  bright  with  the  same  glory  of 
self-sacrifice  that  shone  in  the  serene  countenance 
of  my  friend.  "The  will  of  my  lord  is  the  joy 
of  his  servant!" 

Yuki  kowtowed  to  me  and  whispered:  "My  lord, 
now  is  our  time  for  purification." 

I  rose  and  followed  him  to  the  bath,  leaving 
Yoritomo  and  his  beloved  to  say  their  farewells 
alone.  When  we  returned,  purified  by  the  water 
and  attired  in  ceremonial  costume  of  hakama 
trousers  and  hempen  winged  jackets,  I  found 
my  visitors  gone.  In  their  place  Fujimaro  waited 
to  hand  me  my  friend's  sword.  The  time  had 
almost  come. 

To  make  certain  of  my  part,  I  asked  a  number 
of  questions  and  agreed  upon  a  signal  from  Yuki. 
Fujimaro  then  led  us  to  the  wing  of  the  palace 
in  which  a  chamber  had  been  set  apart  for  the 
ceremony.  In  the  centre  of  the  room  the  mats 
were  covered  with  a  spread  of  white  silk,  upon 
which  in  turn  were  laid  two  red  quilts.  At  each 
corner  of  the  quilts  stood  a  single  whitewood 
candlestick  with  its  hollow-wick  taper.  The  only 
other  lights  in  the  room  were  two  candles  beside 

[327] 


THE    SHO  GUN'S    DAUGHTER 

a  pair  of  bench-like  seats,  five  or  six  paces  distant 
from  the  quilts. 

Chancing  to  glance  behind  a  set  of  white  folding 
screens  that  stood  across  from  the  seats,  I  saw  my 
friend's  dirk  lying  upon  a  tray  of  unvarnished 
cypress  wood.  There  were  other  objects  beside 
the  tray.  I  looked  hastily  away.  Having  assured 
ourselves  that  all  was  in  readiness,  Yuki  and  I 
went  out  into  a  side  room,  and  Wciited. 

We  heard  soft  footsteps  in  the  chamber.  After 
a  few  minutes  Yoritomo  came  down  a  corridor, 
accompanied  by  several  chamberlains.  He  had 
already  taken  leave  of  his  father  and  mother, 
and  was  dressed  in  the  prescribed  ceremonial 
costume  of  white  linen.  Kohana  had  gone,  and 
the  Prince  did  not  appear.  Fujimaro  entered 
and  together  with  the  other  chamberlains  kow 
towed  while  Yuki  and  I  conducted  our  principal 
into  the  chamber. 

We  found  the  witnesses  to  the  ceremony  seated 
upon  the  benches.  Great  as  was  my  anguish, 
I  thrilled  with  momentary  pleasure  when  I  recog 
nized  li  Kamon-no-kami  and  the  great  Daimio 
of  Satsuma.  Not  even  Mito  might  doubt  the 
testimony  of  such  witnesses. 

Yuki  kowtowed.  Yoritomo  and  I  bowed  low, 
and  the  daimios  rose  to  return  the  salute.  The 
daimios  resumed  their  seats.  Yoritomo  seated 
himself  on  knees  and  heels  in  the  centre  of  the 

[328] 


HARA-KIRI 

quilts,  facing  so  that  the  witnesses  were  before 
him  on  his  left.  I  took  up  my  position  behind 
him  and  drew  his  sword  as  Fujimaro  had  directed 
me.  Yuki  brought  the  tray  with  the  dirk  from 
behind  the  screen,  and  knelt  to  present  it. 

Yoritomo  bowed  to  the  daimios,  loosened  his 
robes,  and  took  the  dirk  from  the  tray.  Yuki 
kowtowed  in  a  position  that  enabled  him  to  watch 
the  fatal  stroke  and  give  me  the  signal.  Yoritomo 
tucked  the  ends  of  his  sleeves  under  his  knees, 
that  his  body  might  not  fall  backward. 

I  stood  in  my  place,  rigid  with  horror.  Fortu 
nately  I  could  not  see  his  face  or  the  frightful 
stroke.  That  at  least  I  was  spared.  All  I  saw 
was  the  dear  form  of  my  friend  bending  over 
under  the  agony  —  to  fail  him  now  would  mean 
a  prolongation  of  his  atrocious  pain,  possibly 
the  fearful  disgrace  of  an  outcry  -  -  Yuki  signed 
to  me.  I  struck.  Never  had  I  aimed  a  truer 
blow! 

The  next  I  knew  I  was  holding  my  sleeve  before 
my  eyes,  and  some  one  was  leading  me  from  the 
chamber  of  death. 


[329] 


CHAPTER    XXVI --HOVERING    HAWKS 

Anight  I  lay  tossing  in  the  anguish  of 
my  grief,  unable  to  sleep  and  forget. 
Morning  found  me  distraught  and 
fast  losing  my  senses  in  the  delirium 
of  fever. 

When  I  reawakened  to  consciousness  I  found 
myself  in  a  large  room  that  opened  upon  an  entran 
cing  view  of  the  yashiki  gardens.  There  had  been 
a  heavy  rain,  and  a  flood  of  morning  sun  rays 
were  streaming  through  the  gray  clouds  to  scintil 
late  among  the  foliage  with  iridescent  splendors. 
This,  I  believe,  was  what  had  roused  me.  I 
turned  my  head  for  a  better  look,  and  discovered 
that  I  was  strangely  weak.  Then  I  remembered, 
and  I  no  longer  saw  the  magic  glory  of  the  gem- 
flashing  garden.  I  groaned  and  sank  back  upon 
my  silken  quilts. 

Gentle  fingers  stroked  my  forehead.  I  opened 
my  eyes  and  gazed  up  into  the  soft  eyes  of 
the  quaintly  beautiful  little  lady  Tokiwa  —  his 
mother!  How  could  she  endure  the  sight  of  him 
who  had  held  the  sword !  —  Again  I  groaned  and 
closed  my  eyes. 

A  man's  voice  murmured  a  prayer  for  me  to 
[330] 


HOVERING    HAWKS 

give  heed.  I  looked  up  and  saw  a  benevolent 
old  man  with  huge  grotesque  eyes.  He  bent 
forward  tremulously,  and  I  perceived  that  the 
supposed  eyes  were  Chinese  goggles.  He  kow 
towed  and,  quivering  and  sweating  with  fear, 
offered  me  a  bowl  of  medicine.  I  took  a  sip  of 
the  nauseating  draught,  and  thrust  the  bowl 
from  me  in  violent  loathing.  The  physician  drew 
back  before  my  angry  gesture,  gray  with  fear. 

"It  is  required  that  the  august  lord  should 
receive  treatment,"  he  murmured. 

"It  is  my  mind,  not  my  body,  that  is  sick," 
I  rejoined.  "Go!" 

He  crept  away  in  trembling  obedience.  The 
Princess  Tokiwa  bent  over  me  to  stroke  my  fore 
head  with  her  soothing  fingers.  I  shrank  from 
her  touch  and  threw  my  arm  across  my  eyes. 

"August  lady,"  I  cried,  "how  can  you  bear  to 
come  near  the  tojin?  --  Forgive  me!  " 

"Forgive?"  she  asked,  in  evident  wonderment. 
"Not  forgiveness  but  gratitude  is  due  the  august 
lord.  The  House  of  Owari  is  the  debtor  of 
Woroto  Sama." 

I  stared  at  her  incredulously.  Was  it  possible 
that  even  she  could  feel  gratitude  towards  the 
man  who  had  held  the  sword?  She  was  his 
mother !  —  Yet  I  could  not  mistake  the  expression 
of  her  gentle  face.  It  is  not  alone  the  men  of 
Nippon's  nobility  who  are  samurai  bred.  There 

[331] 


THESHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

was  profound  grief  in  the  depths  of  her  dark 
eyes,  but  it  was  a  grief  crowned  with  the  glory 
of  her  son's  heroic  martyrdom,  and  in  her  sight 
I  was  illumined  by  the  reflection  of  his  glory. 
In  the  realization  of  that  fact  my  conscience  was 
appeased.  The  terrible  feeling  of  blood-guilt 
passed  from  me  and  I  was  healed. 

"August  lady,"  I  whispered,  "the  customs  of 
the  tojin  world  are  far  different  from  the  customs 
of  Dai  Nippon.  I  served  my  friend  according  to 
his  wish.  It  has  made  me  a  Japanese." 

She  beamed  upon  me  with  a  radiant  smile, 
utterly  unconscious  of  my  real  meaning. 

"Is  not  Woroto  Sama  a  kinsman  of  Owari?" 
she  murmured.  "Though  he  came  from  beyond 
the  seas,  he  has  proved  that  he  is  samurai  bred. 
No  longer  will  the  clan  of  Owari  think  of  him  as 
a  man  of  tojin  birth." 

"It  is  true,  august  lady.  I  am  now  Japanese. 
The  country  of  my  brother  Yoritomo  is  now  my 
country,  and  his  mission  is  my  mission."  I  sat 
up.  "See!  My  strength  returns  at  the  very 
thought.  Let  Yuki  be  sent  to  me.  He  and  I 
have  alike  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  Shogun. 
We  will  become  ronins. " 

"Is  the  august  lord  angered  that  he  would 
shame  the  hospitality  of  Owari?"  she  protested. 

"I  have  brought  danger  upon  the  family  of 
my  friend  and  kinsman!"  was  my  answer. 

[332] 


HOVERING    HAWKS 

She  rose  and  glided  from  the  room.  I  turned 
to  creep  to  a  rack  upon  which  my  clothes  were 
hanging,  but  when  I  began  dressing  myself  I 
found  that  I  could  hardly  stand.  Trailing  my 
girdle  behind  me,  I  tottered  back  to  my  bed  and 
sank  down  upon  it.  Before  I  could  recover 
sufficient  energy  to  finish  my  dressing,  the  Prince 
entered  and  seated  himself  close  beside  me. 

When  we  had  exchanged  salutes,  he  regarded 
me  gravely  and  asked:  "Has  my  guest  been 
affronted  that  he  should  wish  to  leave  my  roof?" 

:'The  presence  of  the  tojin  threatens  the  House 
of  Owari  writh  disaster." 

"Should  lyeyoshi  command  the  punishment  of 
my  guest,  I  must  submit.  Otherwise  I  would 
sooner  cast  out  my  grandson  than  permit  my  guest 
to  go  from  my  gate  a  ronin." 

"What  is  my  life  against  the  winning  of  that 
for  which  a  far  more  precious  life  has  been  given?" 

;'The  honor  of  Owari  forbids,"  he  replied,  in  a 
tone  of  finality  that  checked  all  further  protest. 
His  manner  softened  to  the  familiarity  of  a  father 
addressing  a  son.  "Woroto  may  not  be  aware 
of  the  time  that  has  elapsed  since  he  fell 
sick.  The  last  writing  of  one  who  has  gone  from 
us  has  been  presented  to  the  Shogun,  and  the 
witnesses  have  given  their  evidence  of  the  proof 
of  sincerity.  The  welfare  of  his  friend  and  kins 
man  was  not  forgotten  by  the  testator." 

[333] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"He  mentioned  me  in  so  solemn  a  document?" 
I  exclaimed. 

"Your  fate  and  the  fate  of  Nippon  together 
await  the  decision  of  lyeyoshi.  To-morrow  is 
the  funeral.  After  that  I  go  to  the  palace." 

"To-morrow?"  I  murmured.  "Have  I  lain 
here  so  long?" 

"There  have  been  no  delays,"  he  answered. 
"You  will  wish  to  accompany  the  cortege  to 
Uyeno.  You  must  now  eat  and  sleep,  that  your 
strength  may  return." 

He  withdrew,  and  presently  Tokiwa  Sama 
entered  bearing  a  tray  of  nourishing  food  prepared 
by  her  own  hands.  I  ate,  and  sank  into  a  refresh 
ing  sleep.  At  nightfall  she  roused  me  for  a  second 
meal,  and  after  a  time  I  again  fell  asleep.  At 
dawn  I  wakened  hungry  and  much  restored  in 
strength. 

Fujimaro  appeared  to  conduct  me  to  my  bath, 
from  which  I  returned  to  find  a  dainty  breakfast 
that  had  been  sent  by  Tokiwa  Sama.  While 
I  was  eating  Yuki  came  in  from  a  night  trip  to 
Shinagawa.  He  had  made  it  on  the  pretence  of  a 
carousal,  but  in  reality  to  spy  upon  the  Mito 
samurais  and  to  ascertain  whether  all  was  well 
with  Kohana.  The  girl  had  returned  home  the 
night  of  Yoritomo's  death. 

Yuki  learned  that  her  visit  had  been  made  with 
out  detection  by  our  enemies.  Not  only  was  she 

[334] 


HOVERING    HAWKS 

safe,  —  she  had  gained  some  information.  Yuki 
brought  from  her  a  message  of  warning,  which 
Fujimaro  read  for  me:  "The  way  of  the  departed 
winds  past  the  eyrie  of  falcons.  The  seabird 
should  keep  to  his  nest. " 

"The  Superior  Mito  Yashiki  lies  on  the  road 
to  Uyeno,"  explained  Yuki. 

"They  would  not  dare  to  desecrate  the  funeral 
cortege  by  an  attack?"  I  exclaimed. 

"What  Mito  does  not  dare  is  yet  to  be  seen. 
My  lord  and  his  escort  will  wear  steel  within 
their  linen  robes,"  said  Yuki,  and  he  hastened  out 
to  fetch  me  a  mail  cuirass  and  a  cap-like  helmet, 
while  Fujimaro  brought  me  a  mourning  costume 
of  white  linen. 

Leaving  me  to  the  chamberlain,  Yuki  withdrew 
to  prepare  himself  and  my  retinue  against  treacher 
ous  attack.  I  was  dressed  and  conducted  by  Fuji 
maro  to  a  room  in  which  I  had  often  honored  the 
ancestors  of  Owari  by  bowing  to  the  Shinto  god- 
shelf.  But  the  shelf  and  its  tablets  were  now 
hidden  by  a  curtain  of  white  paper. 

We  passed  on  into  the  chamber  where  the  dead 
lay  before  the  lighted  candles  of  the  Buddhist 
family  shrine.  Neither  the  Prince  nor  the  Prin 
cess  were  present.  I  was  received  by  the  chief 
mourner,  a  grave  and  decorous-mannered  boy  of 
twelve,  the  son  of  Yoritomo's  elder  brother.  I 
had  expected  to  see  the  square  coffin  or  great 

[335] 


THE    SHO  GUN'S    DAUGHTER 

red  urn  in  which,  as  a  rule,  persons  of  noble  rank 
are  buried.  But  my  friend  was  recumbent  in 
a  long  lacquered  case,  the  head  of  which  was 
placed  to  the  north. 

A  napkin  lay  across  his  neck.  The  serene 
smile  on  the  face  was  so  characteristic  that  I 
could  have  fancied  he  was  asleep  had  it  not  been 
for  the  vermilion  with  which  the  coffin  was  in 
great  part  filled.  The  chamber  was  crowded 
with  friends  and  relatives  of  the  family,  but  I 
saw  none  of  them.  I  looked  at  my  dearest  friend, 
and  drew  back  to  kneel  among  the  other  mourners, 
my  eyes  dim  with  the  starting  tears. 

My  arrival  had  been  late.  A  Buddhist  priest 
with  a  little  bell  entered.  After  a  brief  ceremony 
etas  came  in  to  bear  out  the  corpse.  None  other 
than  a  pariah  might  touch  the  dead.  All  passed 
out  into  the  open  and  formed  the  funeral  cortege, 
led  by  the  priest  with  his  bell  and  next  a  boy 
carrying  the  ihai,  or  memorial  tablet,  of  the 
deceased.  All  the  men  followed  with  the  chief 
mourner,  bearing  flowers  and  symbolic  banners. 
The  coffin  was  borne  after  us  on  the  shoulders  of 
the  etas  in  the  reversed  position  of  a  norimon. 
Last  of  all  came  the  women  mourners. 

The  procession^was  very  long.  Before  the 
rear  left  Owari  Yashiki,  the  van  was  far  out 
stretched  on  the  causeway  that  led  along  the 
bank  of  the  outer  moat  towards  Mito  Yashiki. 

[336] 


HOVERING    HAWKS 

Slowly  and  solemnly  we  paced  along  the  deserted 
roadway,  beside  the  still  waters  in  which  marvel 
lous  lotus  blossoms  reared  aloft  their  great 
blue-green  pads.  A  mile  brought  us  to  the 
bridge  across  the  Yodogawa  where  it  flows  into 
the  moat. 

The  causeway  now  turned  with  the  moat  from 
northeast  to  east  and  skirted  the  long  walls  of 
Mito  Yashiki.  Yuki  and  his  men  pressed  up 
close  beside  me,  and  grasped  their  swords  within 
the  white  robes.  But  the  yashiki  seemed  as 
deserted  as  was  the  street  before  the  funeral 
cortege  of  the  son  of  Owari.  Not  a  face  appeared 
at  one  of  all  the  long  row  of  grated  windows. 
The  great  gates  were  closed,  and  no  warder  peered 
from  the  porter's  window. 

We  passed  by  in  a  solemn  silence  broken  only 
by  the  tinkle  of  the  priest's  bell  and  the  scuffle 
of  heavy  sandals.  The  Mito  men  had  respected 
the  dead,  not,  I  surmised,  through  any  desire 
to  honor  Owari,  but  because  an  attack  on  the 
cortege  would  have  been  considered  little  less 
than  sacrilegious  by  the  other  clans. 

With  no  thought  of  danger  to  divert  me  from 
grief,  the  long  march  on  to  Uyeno  seemed  to  drag 
out  to  dreary  infinity.  Yet  at  last  we  passed 
up  the  wide  Hirokoji "  Street  and  through  the 
Black  Gate  of  Uyeno.  Park  and  mortuary  chapels 
and  monasteries  were  not  unlike  those  of  Shiba, 

[337] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

and  the  great  temple  of  To-yei-zan  hardly  less 
grand  than  Zozoji.  But  I  had  no  heart  for  such 
wonders  as  the  vast  stone  lantern  and  vaster 
bronze  Buddha,  the  myriad-handed  image  of 
Kwannon,  and  the  beautiful  paintings,  arabesques, 
and  sculptures  of  gates  and  ceilings.  The  tombs 
and  temples  of  shoguns  were  nothing  to  me. 
I  was  looking  upon  the  coffin  of  my  friend. 

When  the  gorgeously  robed  priests  had  ended 
their  chanted  ritual,  I  rose  in  turn  with  the  other 
mourners,  to  bow  before  the  coffin  and  lay  incense 
upon  the  smoking  censer  and  withdraw  to  my 
place.  When  all  had  taken  the  last  farewell,  the 
etas  bore  him  into  the  tomb. 

"My  lord,"  murmured  Yuki,  "it  is  ill  advised 
for  us  to  linger.  We  should  return  without  delay 
to  the  outer  moat,  and  cross  over  through  the 
official  quarter.  To  repass  Mito  Yashiki  would 
be  to  incur  great  risk." 

"What!"  I  demanded.  "Are  we  to  skulk  from 
our  enemies  on  our  return  from  /as  funeral?  Let 
others  do  as  they  choose.  We  return  as  we  came." 

His  eyes  flashed  with  martial  fire.  "My  lord 
speaks  as  a  true  samurai!  His  attendants  will 
go  with  him  gladly." 

"The  hawks  poise.  Do  not  go,  my  lord," 
whispered  a  voice  behind  me. 

"Kohana!"  I  exclaimed,  and  I  turned  about 
swiftly.  I  saw  her  slender  figure  gliding  in  amongst 

[338] 


HOVERING    HAWKS 

a  group  of  the  women  mourners.  In  a  moment 
I  had  lost  sight  of  her.  Yuki  sprang  to  overtake 
her,  but  I  stopped  him  with  a  gesture. 

"Come,"  I  said.  "Let  the  hawks  swoop.  They 
will  find  heron  beaks  awaiting  them." 

Fifty  men,  all  mail-clad  under  their  white 
robes,  followed  me  out  through  the  Black  Gate 
and  down  Hirokoji  Street.  Our  sandals  were 
bound  on  tight,  and  we  swung  along  at  a  brisk 
road  pace  that  promised  to  carry  us  past  Mito 
Yashiki  a  good  half -hour  before  sundown.  We 
had  no  wish  either  to  slip  by  unseen  or  to  be 
ambushed  in  the  dark. 

The  quickness  of  our  return  did  not  take  the 
Mito  men  by  surprise.  They  had  watchmen  in 
a  tower  at  the  corner  of  the  yashiki,  who  signalled 
our  approach.  When  we  came  opposite  the  great 
gate  it  was  open,  and  Keiki  stood  in  the  entrance 
with  a  band  of  Mito  and  Hitotsubashi  retainers, 
all  in  full  armor.  Keiki  shone  resplendent  in  a 
grotesque  harness  of  green  and  red  and  gold  that 
gave  him  the  appearance  of  an  iridescent-scaled 
insect.  His  helmet  closed  across  his  face  in  a 
hideous  mask. 

Keiki's  swordbearer  clanked  out  into  the  road 
way  to  intercept  us,  his  mail  apron  lending  to 
his  gait  a  ludicrous  appearance  of  waddling. 
But  there  was  nothing  ludicrous  in  his  purpose. 
Yuki  sprang  before  me  and  exchanged  a  formal 

[339] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

bow  with  the  challenger.  A  moment  later  their 
swords  flashed  out.  Yuki  was  the  first  swords 
man  of  Yedo,  but  his  opponent  was  a  close 
second. 

For  a  long  two  minutes  their  swords  clashed 
in  terrific  blows,  stroke  upon  stroke,  with  lightning 
swiftness.  One  of  the  shoulder-brassards  of  the 
challenger  fell  clanging  on  the  hard  ground, 
shorn  off  by  Yuki's  blade.  In  turn  Yuki's  mail 
barely  saved  him  from  a  half-parried  blow.  Had 
he  worn  no  armor  he  must  have  been  killed  by 
that  master  cut.  Twice  they  wounded  one  another 
with  frightful  slashes  that  shore  through  brass 
and  steel  and  silk  wadding  to  the  flesh,  yet  each 
time  failed  to  maim  or  kill. 

The  crest  of  the  challenger's  helmet  was  a 
pear-shaped  ornament.  At  the  height  of  the 
combat  the  man  stooped  forward  with  the  force 
of  a  supreme  stroke.  Yuki  glanced  the  whistling 
blade,  and  struck  back  a  tremendous  downward 
blow  that  split  the  pear  in  half  and  cleft  down 
through  the  helmet.  The  challenger  fell  as  if 
struck  by  a  thunderbolt. 

My  men  raised  a  jeering  shout,  but  Keiki 
advanced  alone,  and  they  fell  silent  again.  The 
young  lord  strutted  out  within  a  few  paces  of  me, 
and  called  tauntingly:  "Does  the  barbarian  con 
sider  the  day  ill-omened  for  Hitotsubashi?  If 
so,  let  him  take  the  place  of  his  ronin  dog." 

[340] 


HOVERING    HAWKS 

"There  is  a  tojin  saying  that  meets  the  situa 
tion,"  I  replied.  "It  is  to  the  effect  that  any 
cur  may  be  expected  to  yap  before  his  own  kennel. 
Mito  Yashiki  swarms  with  retainers  ready  to 
pour  out  and  overwhelm  my  small  band.  Keiki 
and  his  followers  are  in  full  armor.  I  refuse  to 
be  tricked.  If  I  draw  sword,  it  means  death 
to  me,  whether  or  not  Keiki  dies  first.  Such 
being  the  scheme,  I  will  even  the  odds  in  this 
manner"  -I  drew  both  my  revolvers-  "the 
life  of  Keiki  is  in  my  hand.  He  will  do  well  to 
let  the  mourners  of  Yoritomo  Sama  pass  in  peace." 

The  uplifting  muzzles  of  my  heavy  pistols  were 
arguments  to  convince  the  most  sceptical.  He 
drew  back  three  or  four  paces.  I  signed  to  my  men 
to  march  on,  but  Yuki  waited  beside  me.  When 
the  rear  had  passed,  we  turned  our  backs  upon 
Keiki  and  swung  away  after  the  others.  Keiki 
and  his  men  watched  us  go,  without  uttering  a 
word  or  attempting  a  single  hostile  movement, 
though  the  champion  of  Mito  lay  outstretched 
in  the  public  highway  and  his  blood  called  for 
vengeance  upon  Owari. 

'The  hawks  have  darted  upon  the  heron  beaks 
—  and  swooped  back  to  their  eyrie!"  I  exclaimed. 
'You  are  not  seriously  hurt,  Yuki?" 

"Not  yet,  my  lord." 

"Not  yet?" 

He  glanced  up  at  the  high,  barred  windows  of 
[341  1 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

the  yashiki,  from  which  helmeted  heads  were 
peering  down  upon  us.  I  looked  back  at  the 
gate.  Keiki  and  his  men  were  withdrawing  into 
the  yashiki.  There  was  something  ominous  in 
their  quick  retreat  and  in  the  silence  of  the  out- 
peering  retainers  at  the  windows.  I  called  upon 
the  men  to  hasten.  They  swung  into  a  half 
trot. 

A  barbed  arrow  whistled  past  my  cheek  and 
across  Yuki's  shoulder.  Another  struck  my  breast 
and  fell  blunted  from  my  mail.  Yuki  sprang  to 
my  right  side  with  upraised  sword. 

"Run!"  he  shouted.     "The  long  hawks  swroop!" 

He  clipped  a  whirring  shaft  in  mid-air  with  a 
dexterous  stroke,  and  dragged  me  forward  into 
the  midst  of  the  men.  A  storm  of  arrows  burst 
upon  us,  streaming  down  through  the  barred 
windows.  We  broke  into  headlong  flight.  Beyond 
the  farther  corner  of  the  yashiki  was  safety, 
and  the  distance  was  not  great.  But  the  barbed 
shafts  flew  thick  and  fast.  Had  it  not  been  for 
our  armor  I  doubt  if  a  single  one  of  us  would  have 
won  through. 

A  man  beside  me  plunged  backward,  struck 
through  the  throat.  I  would  have  paused,  but 
Yuki  dragged  me  onward.  The  man  was  dead. 
We,  too,  would  be  slain  if  we  lingered.  More 
than  once  Yuki  clipped  in  the  air  arrows  that 
might  have  pierced  between  my  steel  collar  and 

[342] 


HOVERING    HAWKS 

helmet.  Other  arrows  bruised  my  flesh  through 
steel  and  padding.  I  was  the  central  object  of 
the  cowardly  attack.  The  tempered  steel  of  my 
daimio  armor  alone  saved  me  from  death.  Another 
of  my  men  fell  dead,  and  several  were  wounded 
by  shafts,  many  of  which  were  intended  for  myself. 
We  rushed  on  up  the  road,  each  wounded  man 
between  two  of  his  fellows. 

We  passed  the  corner  of  the  yaskiki.  The 
deadly  shower  was  slackening.  A  bolt-headed 
arrow  pierced  my  upper  left  arm  from  the  rear. 
Yuki  sprang  behind  to  shield  me  with  his  body. 
But  it  was  the  last  shot. 

As,  a  little  farther  on,  we  checked  our  flight, 
Yuki  said  with  grim  humor:  "My  lord  now  knows 
what  hawks  were  meant  by  Kohana.  They 
have  made  us  pay  two  men  for  one.  It  was  well 
the  Mito  men  did  not  think  sooner  of  the  armor- 
piercing  arrows,  else  my  lord  would  have  been 
riddled." 

Without  pausing  in  his  stride,  he  snapped  the 
arrow  that  had  passed  half  through  my  arm,  and 
drew  the  end  from  the  wound,  and  a  minute  later 
it  was  tightly  bandaged.  The  other  wounded  men 
received  the  same  rough,  efficient  surgery,  but  one 
died  in  the  very  gateway  of  Owari  Yashiki. 


[343] 


CHAPTER  XXVII --SON  BY  ADOPTION 

DAWN  of  the  following  day  found  the 
Prince   of   Owari    at   the   palace,    to 
make    complaint    against    the    das 
tardly    attack    of    the     Mi  to    men. 
He  returned  shortly  after  noon,  and 
within  the  hour  sent  word  that  he  would  come  to 
see  me  in  my  apartments. '    Fujimaro,  who  brought 
the  message,   knew  nothing  as  to   the  result  of 
the  visit  to  the  Shogun. 

The  mingled  dread  and  half-hearted  hope  with 
which  I  awaited  the  Prince  may  well  be  imagined. 
Was  I  to  be  sentenced  to  a  horrible  death,  or 
merely  sent  out  of  the  country?  Had  Yoritomo's 
sacrifice  won  against  suspicion  and  reaction,  or 
were  Owari  and  the  cause  of  progress  to  go  down 
to  ruin  and  destruction  with  myself?  Since  I 
had  lost  my  little  Princess,  I  could  think  of  my 
own  fate  with  a  degree  of  indifference.  But  that 
the  cause  for  which  my  dear  friend  had  given  his 
life  should  fail  —  what  bitterness ! 

The  Prince  entered  with  austere  stateliness, 
only  to  drop  from  the  formal  to  the  familiar  at 
the  first  view  of  my  bandaged  arm.  He  waved  all 
our  attendants  to  leave,  and  sank  down  beside 

[344] 


SON    BY    ADOPTION 

me,  with  a  look  of  kindly  concern.  :'You  are 
in  pain !  Your  arm  —  did  Yuki  say  whether  the 
arrow  had  a  poisoned  head?" 

"No,  no,  my  lord.  The  wound  is  already 
healing.  I  feel  no  pain  from  that.  The  Shogun! 
Tell  me !  -  -  Does  the  House  of  Owari  still  stand 
unshaken?" 

"As  firmly  as  Fuji-yama." 

"And  the  schemes  of  Mito?" 

He  smiled  and  stroked  his  slender  white  beard. 
"Rekko  continues  to  dwell  in  his  Inferior  Yashiki. 
Keiki  has  paid  a  heavy  price  for  the  pierced  arm 
of  my  guest.  An  attack  with  deadly  weapons 
within  the  bounds  of  Yedo  is  an  outrage  upon  the 
dignity  of  the  Shogun." 

"His  Highness  once  more  inclines  to  your 
counsel?" 

'The  offering  of  him  who  has  gone  from  us  has 
not  been  without  avail,  and  Keiki's  false  move 
has  forced  the  last  bar  of  the  gate  for  us.  Your 
offence  is  pardoned." 

'That  is  small  matter.  Has  there  been  an 
acceptance  of  policies  memorialized  by  the  de 
parted?" 

"  Many  daimios  have  yet  to  present  their  answers 
to  the  letters  of  inquiry  sent  out  by  the  Shogunate. 
The  majority  may  be  against  intercourse  with 
the  tojin  peoples,  yet  Satsuma  and  li  have  joined 
me  in  urging  a  temporary  treaty  for  the  opening 

[3451 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

of  a  few  ports.  When  all  answers  have  been 
received,  His  Highness  will  command  the  Council 
of  Elders  to  announce  the  acceptance  of  our 
policy." 

"Banzai!"  I  cried.  "Let  intercourse  be  estab 
lished  for  a  time,  and  even  the  frogs  in  the  well 
will  be  compelled  to  see  light." 

''The  talk  of  a  temporary  treaty  is  a  compromise 
to  bring  over  those  who  waver  between  the  two 
camps.  I  have  talked  too  much  with  you  and 
with  him  who  has  gone  to  doubt  now  that  ports 
once  opened  will  ever  be  closed."  He  looked  at 
me  with  a  quizzical  smile.  "Once  a  tojin  enters, 
it  is  difficult  to  be  rid  of  him." 

;'You  say  I  am  forgiven?" 

"One  way  has  been  suggested  to  rid  the  land 
from  the  tojin.  That  is  to  make  him  not  a  tojin." 

"  Not  a  tojin  ?     You  mean  death ! " 

"Death  to  tojin  kin  and  country.  I  recalled 
to  the  Shogun  the  precedent  of  the  wise  tojin 
Anjin  Sama." 

:'That!     Can  I  also  become  a  Japanese?" 

"If  you  wed  a  Japanese  wife." 

"Wed?  —  I  cannot  do  that!  You  know  there 
is  only  one  maiden  in  all  Japan  —  in  all  the 
world!" 

"It  is  true  that  the  maiden  to  whom  you  refer 
cannot  be  given  to  any  other  than  one  of  exalted 
rank." 

[346] 


SON    BY    ADOPTION 

"And  I  can  wed  none  other." 

"The  heart  of  lyeyoshi  has  been  troubled. 
He  questioned  the  maiden,  and  found  that  the 
words  of  the  tojin  were  true.  Yet  how  could 
the  Sei-i-tai  Shogun  give  his  daughter  to  a  tojin?" 

I  stared  at  the  Prince,  aflame  with  an  ardent 
hope  that  overpowered  me.  "He  —  you  say  that 
he  — Speak!" 

:'The  heir  of  Owari  is  a  fitting  husband  for  the 
daughter  of  the  Shogun.  You  know  the  arrange 
ment  regarding  him  who  has  gone  from  us.  There 
now  remains  only  the  son  of  his  elder  brother. 
I  have  long  since  reached  the  age  when  it  is  custom 
ary  to  lay  aside  the  burden  of  the  title  and  of  the 
clan  administration.  The  boy  is  too  young. 
In  such  cases  it  is  not  unusual  to  adopt  an  elder 
son  to  bear  the  burden  of  the  title  until  such  time 
as  it  is  thought  best  for  him  to  retire  in  favor  of 
the  younger  heir." 

"My  lord!"  I  gasped,  "you  cannot  mean — ?" 

"lyeyoshi's  heart  is  touched  by  the  grief  of 
his  daughter.  He  is  willing  to  do  so  much  to 
assure  her  happiness.  My  kinsman  guest  has  a 
true  heart  —  he  is  to  be  trusted.  When  an  heir 
succeeds  during  the  lifetime  of  his  father,  he  bends 
to  the  guidance  of  the  retired  daimio.  There  is 
no  more  to  be  said.  The  decision  is  now  with 
Woroto." 

I  kowtowed  to  him.  For  several  moments 
[347] 


I  could  not  speak,  for  I  was  utterly  overcome 
with  the  great  joy  and  unable  to  believe  that 
such  good  fortune  could  be  mine.  The  serene 
face  of  Yoritomo  appeared  before  my  mental 
vision.  It  was  as  if  he  had  returned  to  serve 
me  as  guardian  spirit. 

"Father  of  my  brother!  —  my  father!"  I  mur 
mured.  I  could  say  no  more. 

"  Woroto  —  my  son ! " 

I  looked  up  and  saw  his  haughty  eyes  glistening 
with  tears.  We  gazed  deep  into  one  another's 
souls.  My  brother  had  gone  from  me,  but  I  had 
found  a  father. 

He  rose  and  left  me. 

Soon,  however,  the  screens  parted  to  admit 
that  sweetest  and  quaintest  and  dearest  of  dames,. 
Tokiwa  Sama.  She  glided  across  to  kowtow  to  me, 
demurely  radiant.  I  had  found  not  only  a  father, 
but  a  mother  —  and  such  a  mother !  Could  I 
but  have  gathered  her  up  in  my  arms  and  poured 
out  my  heart  to  her! 

Instead  we  talked  with  decorous  restraint 
of  various  little  details  of  home  life,  —  matters 
trifling  and  altogether  inconsequential  in  them 
selves  yet  charged  with  a  world  of  meaning  to 
me.  I  was  received  into  the  intimacy  of  the 
home  life;  I  had  become  a  member  of  the  family. 

Never  had  I  chafed  more  at  the  convention 
that  forbade  all  reference  to  romantic  love.  Freed 

[348] 


SON    BY    ADOPTION 

from  that  taboo,  pronounced  by  an  over-rigid 
etiquette,  I  knew  my  dainty  little  adopted  mother 
would  have  been  an  ideal  confidante.  Her  dear 
face  glowed  with  sympathy  and  love,  which, 
being  unable  to  express  in  words  or  caresses,  she 
could  convey  to  me  only  by  looks  and  the  exquisite 
courtesy  of  her  manner. 

So  it  was,  I  was  accepted  as  the  son  and  heir  of 
Owari  in  the  hearts  of  my  second  parents,  before 
my  adoption  according  to  the  forms  of  the  law. 
The  legal  adoption  was  not  a  simple  affair  of 
routine,  as  I  had  fancied.  Though  proposed  by 
the  Shogun  himself,  it  was  blocked  for  some 
weeks  by  the  intrigues  of  the  Mito  party  and  the 
opposition  of  the  Elder  Council.  Unaware  of  the 
motive  behind  the  Shogun's  supposed  caprice,  - 
a  motive  that  made  resistance  futile,  —  our  enemies 
worked  zealously  to  prevent  the  acceptance  of 
the  barbarian  as  heir  of  one  of  the  August  Three 
Families. 

In  the  end  our  opponents  even  went  so  far  as 
to  appeal  to  that  mysterious  superlord  the  Mikado. 
For  this  act  custom  would  have  justified  lyeyoshi 
in  punishing  them  with  utmost  severity.  But 
he  was  not  averse  to  showing  them  that  the  power 
of  the  Shogun,  their  master,  over  the  Kyoto  court 
was  unbroken,  and  so  the  matter  was  delayed  for 
some  weeks.  In  ordinary  circumstances,  the  dense 
ignorance  and  bigotry  of  the  imperial  court 

[349] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

regarding  the  tojin  world  would  have  insured  a 
certain  verdict  against  me.  But  the  Shogun 
brought  heavy  pressure  to  bear.  It  was  a  difficult 
matter  to  deny  the  express  desire  of  one  who  had 
the  power  to  enforce  compliance.  Also  I  suspect 
that  the  difficulty  was  glossed  over  by  a  flat  denial 
of  my  tojin  blood  and  a  strong  insistence  upon  my 
kinship  to  the  House  of  Owari. 

Pending  the  sanction  of  the  Mikado,  I  was 
required  to  remain  within  the  bounds  of  the 
yashiki.  But  it  was  a  confinement  far  from  irksome 
in  view  of  the  extreme  sultriness  of  the  midsummer 
weather  and  the  charm  of  the  yashiki  gardens. 

Yuki,  however,  roved  at  will  about  the  city  in 
the  disguise  of  a  ronin,  spying  upon  the  Mito  men. 
Soon  after  the  funeral  I  had  sent  him  to  Shinagawa 
with  a  message  for  Kohana  San.  But  the  geisha 
had  not  been  seen  since  my  glimpse  of  her  at  Uyeno. 
She  had  not  returned  to  her  home,  and  was  not 
to  be  found.  Our  first  thought  was  that  she  might 
have  killed  herself  for  love  of  Yoritomo.  Yet 
this  seemed  improbable  when  we  recalled  to  mind 
his  command  for  her  to  live  and  serve  those  whom 
he  left  behind. 

At  last,  during  the  solemn  Festival  of  the  Dead, 
which  was  celebrated  in  mid  August,  Yuki  learned 
that  the  girl  was  a  prisoner  in  Hitotsubashi  Yashiki. 
Keiki  had  lured  her  into  his  palace,  and  had  either 
induced  or  forced  her  to  become  one  of  the  many 

[350] 


SON    BY    ADOPTION 

concubines  allowed  a  high  noble  by  custom  and 
law.  From  this  last,  Yuki  reasoned  that  Keiki 
could  not  possibly  have  discovered  her  devotion 
to  our  cause,  else  she  would  surely  have  been 
tortured,  instead  of  being  honored  with  the  rank 
of  concubine.  When  I  expressed  my  surprise 
that  her  love  for  Yoritomo  had  not  caused  her 
to  commit  hara-kiri,  Yuki  was  no  less  surprised 
that  I  had  failed  to  grasp  her  motive.  For  love 
of  her  dead  lord,  she  had  submitted  to  a  fate  that 
to  her  was  worse  than  death. 

"With  the  permission  of  my  lord,"  he  added, 
"I  will  continue  to  haunt  the  vicinity  of  Keiki's 
yashiki.  None  is  more  crafty  than  a  geisha. 
She  will  be  watching  for  an  opportunity  to  send 
us  word  of  the  schemes  and  intrigues  of  the  Mito 
party." 


[351] 


CHAPTER  XXVIII --HIGH  TREASON 

THE  day  after  Yuki's  discovery,  word 
at  last  came  from  Kyoto,  sanctioning 
the  Prince  of  Owari's  adoption  of  his 
kinsman  as  son  and  heir.     After  that, 
little    time   was    required    to    comply 
with  law  and  custom.     The  opposition  of  the  Mi  to 
faction    was   paralyzed    by    the    sanction    of    the 
Mikado.     It  was  a  striking  instance  of  the  para 
doxical  nature  of  the  government  of  this  strange 
land. 

In  theory,  the  Mikado  was  the  sacred  and 
absolute  Emperor,  and  the  Shogun  only  the  first 
among  his  secondary  class  of  nobles.  In  fact, 
he  was  little  more  than  a  figurehead  in  the  hands 
of  the  Shogunate,  and  his  sanction  of  government 
measures  was  usually  given  as  a  matter  of  course. 
A  strong  Shogun,  such  as  lyeyoshi,  could  even 
enforce  compliance  against  the  wishes  of  so  power 
ful  an  opposition  as  the  Mito  party  backed  by 
the  reluctance  of  the  kuge,  or  Kyoto  nobles.  Yet 
without  the  Mikado's  sanction,  however  obtained, 
the  Shogun  would  have  become  a  rebel,  with  no 
other  means  than  sheer  military  force  to  hold  in 
subjection  the  great  non-Tokugawa  daimios. 
One  may  well  imagine  the  chagrin  of  the  Mito 
[352] 


HIGH    TREASON 

faction  over  their  failure  to  block  my  official 
adoption  as  the  heir  of  Owari,  and  their  fury  when 
they  learned  of  the  Prince's  retirement  in  my  favor. 
Last  of  all,  the  discovery  that  the  Shogun  was  about 
to  announce  his  decision  in  favor  of  a  temporary 
treaty  with  the  hairy  barbarians  must  have  goaded 
them  to  madness. 

The  final  ceremony  of  my  accession  to  the  title 
and  position  of  Prince  of  Owari  was  an  audience 
by  the  Shogun.  Before  this,  in  the  presence  of 
the  counsellors  and  other  high  officials  of  the  clan, 
-  many  of  whom  had  journeyed  from  the  Province 
of  Owari  for  the  occasion,  —  my  adopted  father 
had  abdicated  his  office  of  clan  chief,  and  I  had 
received  the  homage  of  the  samurais.  The  day 
appointed  for  my  formal  audience  was  August 
the  twenty -fifth. 

Though  surfeited  with  the  irksome  etiquette 
and  honors  of  my  exalted  rank,  I  looked  forward 
to  the  audience  with  keenest  impatience.  The 
Prince  —  as  I  shall  continue  to  call  him  —  had 
assured  me  that  it  was  the  last  step  in  my  elevation, 
and  vastly  more  important  than  my  marriage. 
To  me  it  was  important  only  because  it  must 
precede  my  marriage. 

As  a  necessary  result  of  the  ascent  that  brought 
me  within  reach  of  my  silvery  moon,  —  my  all 
but  unattainable  Princess,  —  I  could  endure  and 
even  welcome  the  austere  state  of  my  exalted 

[353] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

position.  Of  itself,  however,  there  was  no  relish 
to  me  in  the  homage  of  my  clan,  and  far  less  in 
the  thought  of  rendering  homage  to  my  lord  the 
Shogun.  My  princely  rank  was  a  ceremonial 
strait- jacket  which  bound  me  about  with  count 
less  rules  of  etiquette  and  restricted  my  every  act 
and  word  to  certain  prescribed  forms.  To  a  man 
who  was  not  to  the  manner  born,  the  result  was 
little  short  of  torture. 

Yet  I  would  gladly  have  endured  even  greater 
discomfort  for  the  sake  of  winning  Azai.  The 
vision  of  her  pure  and  lovely  face  was  before  my 
eyes  night  and  day.  It  sustained  me  throughout 
the  dreary  hours  of  ceremonies,  and  appeared 
beside  the  serene  face  of  Yoritomo  when  I  made 
the  required  offerings  and  prayers  before  the 
memorial  tablets  of  the  family  shrines. 

At  last  the  day  appointed  for  my  audience 
arrived.  I  was  roused  long  before  dawn,  and  my 
little  lady  mother  herself  came  to  overlook  every 
detail  of  my  costume.  By  dawn  my  lantern- 
illumined  cortege,  marching  with  all  the  solemn 
parade  of  a  state  progress,  had  crossed  the  official 
quarter  to  the  Sakaruda  Gate. 

With  me  were  the  clan  counsellors  and  a  power 
ful  guard  of  retainers  in  full  armor.  Yuki  had 
reported  too  fully  upon  the  virulent  wrath  of 
the  Mito  men  for  us  to  chance  an  attack  unpre 
pared.  But  Yuki  was  not  with  me,  though  I 

[354] 


HIGH    TREASON 

had  chosen  him  to  lead  my  escort.  I  was  con 
cerned  for  his  safety,  for  he  had  gone  out  on 
another  of  his  spying  ventures,  and  had  not 
returned  when  expected. 

At  the  Sakaruda  Gate  those  of  my  escort  who 
wore  armor  remained  outside  the  citadel.  I  was 
carried  through  in  my  norimon,  accompanied  by 
my  counsellors  and  chamberlains,  my  standard 
bearers,  and  other  ceremonial  attendants  with 
led-horses  and  paraphernalia.  But  when  we 
arrived  before  the  Gejo  Gate,  the  state  entrance 
to  the  Inner  Castle,  I  was  required  to  leave  my 
norimon  and  cross  the  bridge  of  the  inner  moat 
afoot,  escorted  only  by  a  few  of  my  highest  retain 
ers.  The  Abbot  of  Zozoji,  who  was  a  prince  of 
the  Mikado's  family,  alone  could  ride  in  through 
the  Gejo  Gate.  That  honor  was  denied  even  the 
heads  of  the  August  Three  Families,  the  highest 
of  all  the  daimios. 

Within  the  gate  I  crossed  a  court  to  the  grand 
portico  of  the  palace,  where  I  was  met  by  Gengo 
and  another  of  the  court  chamberlains.  Even 
my  counsellors  kowtowed  to  these  servants  of 
the  Shogun,  who  in  turn  kowtowed  to  me.  Trail 
ing  their  court  trousers  behind  them,  they  con 
ducted  me  to  a  waiting-room,  where  I  was  served 
with  powdered  tea  gruel,  and  attired  in  court  hat, 
gauze-winged  jacket,  and  seven-foot  court  trousers 
of  yellow  silk. 

[355] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

After  the  refreshment,  I  left  my  attendants  and 
was  conducted  by  Gengo  and  his  fellow  chamberlain 
along  a  hall  lined  with  kowtowing  retainers,  and 
past  an  anteroom  in  which  five  or  six  score  daimios 
of  the  lower  rank  knelt  in  profound  silence. 
Shortly  beyond  we  came  to  the  raised  threshold 
of  the  audience  hall.  My  ushers  kowtowed  and 
crept  in  on  hands  and  knees.  I  followed  in  the 
same  abject  posture.  It  was  the  custom  of  the 
country  and  the  price  I  must  pay  for  Azai. 

The  throne  was  a  square  lacquered  stool, 
placed  upon  a  dais  two  feet  high.  Though  the 
Shogun  was  dressed  with  no  more  richness  than 
on  the  occasions  of  my  informal  audiences,  the 
stateliness  of  his  appearance  was  vastly  increased 
by  this  simple  throne  and  the  mat  curtain  that 
hung  down  before  him  to  the  level  of  his  bell- 
shaped  hat.  On  his  left,  three  or  four  yards  down 
the  room,  kowtowed  Midzuano  and  the  other 
members  of  the  Elder  Council.  Behind  the  dais 
a  number  of  hatamotos  knelt  with  their  hands  upon 
their  swordhilts  as  if  in  the  act  of  springing  up  to 
attack  me. 

At  the  prescribed  distance  from  the  throne  my 
ushers  parted  for  me  to  creep  forward  between 
them  and  kowtow  in  homage  to  my  lord.  The 
hush  was  oppressive.  I  waited,  prostrate,  until  a 
faint  sibilation  from  the  courtiers  told  me  that 
the  Shogun  had  given  the  signal  for  my  withdrawal. 

[356] 


HIGH    TREASON 

My  audience  was  at  an  end.  Without  raising 
my  head,  I  crept  around  and  out  the  way  I  had 
come,  in  the  wake  of  my  abject  ushers. 

Upon  my  return  to  the  waiting-room  I  was 
served  a  banquet  of  nearly  a  hundred  dishes. 
I  could  do  no  more  than  taste  my  favorite  dish 
of  each  course,  after  which  all  were  set  aside  by 
the  attendants,  to  be  taken  to  Owari  Yashiki. 
An  hour  passed,  and  my  solitary  feast  was  fairly 
under  way,  when  Gengo  entered  and  bowed  before 
me,  with  a  flask  of  sake  held  above  his  forehead. 

"From  the  Tycoon  to  the  Prince  of  Owari," 
he  murmured. 

I  kowtowed.  "Humble  thanks  are  offered  for 
the  gift  of  the  august  ruler!  —  Let  the  wine  be 
heated.'* 

"It  is  the  wish  of  His  Highness  that  the  Prince 
test  the  flavor  of  the  sake  both  cold  and  hot," 
replied  the  chamberlain,  as  he  handed  the  flask 
to  an  attendant. 

I  bowed  assent.  "The  will  of  His  Highness 
is  the  pleasure  - 

"Stay,  my  lord!"  called  a  voice  in  the  entrance. 
"Cold  sake  is  not  always  wholesome." 

At  the  first  word  I  had  glanced  down  the  room 
and  perceived  Yuki  standing  erect  on  the  threshold. 
The  attendants  stared  about  at  him,  no  less 
astonished  than  myself.  His  dress  was  disarranged, 
and  his  look  so  strange  that  at  first  I  thought  he 

[357] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

had  been  over-drinking.  Fujimaro  spoke  to  him 
warningly,  and  he  sank  down  to  kowtow.  No 
drunken  man  could  have  saluted  in  such  manner. 
The  truth  flashed  upon  me. 

"Approach,"  I  commanded.  "You  bring  a 
message?  " 

He  sprang  up,  with  a  sharp  exclamation:  "Look! 
The  fox  has  gone!" 

I  looked  about,  and  saw  that  Gengo  had  dis 
appeared.  In  the  moment's  pause  when  all  eyes 
were  fixed  upon  the  kneeling  Yuki,  the  chamberlain 
had  glided  to  the  side  wall  and  slipped  out.  Yuki 
came  swiftly  up  the  room  through  the  midst  of 
the  palace  attendants,  and  pointed  to  the  man  with 
the  flask  of  sake. 

"Do  not  open  the  flask!"  he  commanded,  and 
he  knelt  to  offer  me  a  tattered,  crumpled  scroll. 
"The  geisha,  my  lord  -  -  To  the  Shogun!  Demand 
that  Gengo  drink  this  sake!" 

I  bent  forward  to  whisper  a  question:  "You 
suspect  poison?  " 

"Not  alone  for  my  lord!  Hasten!  I  fear 
the  worst !  Keiki  and  Midzuano  —  Gengo  the 
tool- 

But  I  was  already  up  and  crossing  the  room. 

"Bring  the  sake  flask!"  I  commanded.  "Con 
duct  me  to  the  Shogun.  I  must  see  the  Shogun 
at  once!" 

Some  of  the  attendants  murmured  protests. 
[358] 


HIGH    TREASON 

But  their  superior  had  caught  the  alarm.  He 
signed  to  the  man  with  the  sake  flask,  and  led  us 
swiftly  out  into  the  corridor  and  up  it  past  the 
audience  hall.  The  Shogun  had  retired  to  more 
private  apartments.  We  hastened  on  through  a 
suite  of  rooms.  Suddenly  a  palace  guard  blocked 
our  way.  My  escort  whispered  to  him  excitedly. 
The  guard  stepped  aside. 

We  entered  an  anteroom  and  glided  hastily 
across  through  the  midst  of  the  waiting  attendants. 
At  the  upper  wall  we  were  again  halted,  while  my 
request  for  an  immediate  audience  was  sent  in  to 
the  Shogun.  I  waited  in  an  agony  of  suspense. 
One  moment  after  another  dragged  past.  Unable 
to  endure  the  uncertainty,  I  thrust  my  finger 
through  the  screen,  and  peered  in.  The  official 
to  whom  my  request  had  been  whispered  still 
crouched  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  screen,  waiting 
for  the  Shogun's  signal  to  advance. 

I  stared  up  the  room  to  where  lyeyoshi  sat  at  ease 
between  Midzuano  and  the  Daimio  of  Satsuma. 
As  I  looked,  Gengo  glided  in  with  a  tea  bowl  upon 
a  tray,  and  knelt  to  present  the  drink  to  his  lord. 
The  suspicion  of  his  hideous  purpose  struck  me 
dumb  with  horror.  The  Shogun  reached  out  and 
lifted  the  bowl  from  the  tray.  At  that  my  hands 
spoke  for  my  stricken  tongue.  I  flung  aside  the 
screen  that  was  before  me  and  threw  out  my  arm 
in  a  warning  gesture. 

[359] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

lyeyoshi  paused  with  the  bowl  at  his  lips,  and 
stared  at  me  in  frowning  resentment.  I  pointed 
downward.  The  Shogun  glanced  from  me  to  the 
cringing  figure  of  Gengo.  Instantly  he  dashed 
the  bowl  and  its  contents  into  the  face  of  the 
chamberlain. 

No  man  of  samurai  blood  might  endure  such 
an  insult  even  from  the  Sei-i-tai  Shogun.  The 
poisoner  flared  out  in  mad  fury.  With  amazing 
swiftness  he  drew  a  dirk  and  bounded  upon 
lyeyoshi.  The  Shogun  flung  himself  to  one  side. 
But  Gengo  struck  with  deadly  aim.  His  dirk 
plunged  down  through  the  base  of  the  Shogun's 
neck  the  full  twelve  inches  of  the  blade. 

With  a  roar  of  fury,  Satsuma  leaped  up  to  catch 
the  dying  man  and  interpose  his  own  body  for 
the  second  stroke.  But  Gengo  was  already  spring 
ing  back,  well  aware  that  the  one  blow  had  done 
the  awful  deed.  We  were  already  rushing  in,  my 
companions  shrieking  for  the  guards.  Midzuano 
sat  as  if  turned  to  stone.  Gengo  dropped  down 
almost  beside  the  Counsellor,  to  make  an  end  of 
himself.  The  murderer  was  samurai  bred.  Swiftly 
as  I  rushed  forward,  I  could  not  seize  him  in  time 
to  stay  his  dirk  from  the  fatal  cross  stroke.  He 
sank  prostrate  on  his  face,  groaning. 

From  all  sides  hatamotos  with  bared  swords 
rushed  in,  drawn  by  the  shrieks  for  help.  As  I 
knelt  with  Satsuma  beside  our  dead  lord,  Midzuano 

[360] 


(iKXCiO  S'l'KI'CK   WITH    DKAIH.Y   AlM 


HIGH    TREASON 

leaped  up  and  pointed  to  us,  with  a  terrible  cry: 
"  Strike !     The  Shogun  is  slain !     Kill  the  traitors ! " 

An  instant's  hesitancy  and  we  should  have  been 
hacked  in  pieces  by  the  upraised  swords.  Satsuma 
sprang  to  his  feet,  his  great  form  swelling  with 
wrath,  his  heavy  face  dark  with  menace.  Without 
a  word,  he  pointed  one  hand  at  the  dying  assassin 
and  the  other  at  Midzuano. 

"Strike!"  commanded  the  Chief  Counsellor, 
and  his  dull  eyes  lighted  with  cold  malevolence. 

"Strike!"  echoed  Satsuma,  still  pointing. 

The  hatamotos  glared  at  us  in  deadly  rage,  yet 
stood  motionless,  checked  by  the  power  of  the 
great  Daimio.  I  rose  beside  him,  and  signed  to 
the  attendant  with  the  sake  flask.  He  pointed 
to  the  dying  chamberlain,  and  called  loudly: 
"Midzuano  lies!  Gengo  is  the  traitor.  He  first 
brought  this  flask  to  the  Prince  of  Owari;  then 
came  to  serve  the  Shogun.  His  Highness  had 
cause  to  suspect  poison.  He  flung  the  bowl  into 
the  face  of  the  traitor,  \vho  drew  and  struck." 

;'The  Counsellor  is  challenged  to  drink  from  the 
flask  brought  to  me  by  Gengo,"  I  added. 

"They  are  all  traitors. —  Kill  them  together!" 
cried  Midzuano. 

I  held  out  Kohana's  scroll  to  the  nearest  hata- 
moto,  with  a  laconic  command:  "Read!" 

The  man  took  the  blotched  writing  and  began 
to  read,  while  all  in  the  room  bent  to  listen. 

[361] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"'  Kwannon  direct  this  safely  into  the  hands  of 
a  loyal  samurai!  Evil  traitors  plot  to  poison  the 
Shogun  and  the  Prince  of  Owari,  on  the  day  that 
the  Prince  goes  to  the  palace.  They  cannot  endure 
that  His  Highness  should  favor  a  treaty  with  the 
barbarians.  Gengo  is  their  tool.  All  the  daimios 
in  the  conspiracy  are  not  known  to  the  writer, 
but  the  names  of  the  leaders  are,  first  - 

With  a  sudden  clutch,  Midzuano  plucked  the 
scroll  out  of  the  hand  of  the  hatamoto  and  thrust 
it  into  his  bosom. 

;'The  Chief  of  the  Elder  Council  commands  at 
such  a  crisis,"  he  proclaimed  with  astounding 
effrontery.  "It  is  not  expedient  to  publish  the 
names  of  the  criminals  until  they  have  been  appre 
hended.  Let  the  Council  be  summoned  to  meet 
me  at  my  yashiki." 

Even  Satsuma  was  disconcerted  by  such  con 
summate  assurance  and  audacity.  Before  either 
of  us  could  recover  wit  enough  to  utter  a  protest, 
the  Counsellor  passed  through  the  midst  of  the 
hatamotos  and  out  of  the  hall.  But  though  he  went 
unopposed,  his  going  was  none  the  less  in  effect 
a  retreat.  Freed  from  his  malign  influence,  the 
hatamotos  at  once  yielded  to  the  spell  of  Satsuma's 
magnetism  and  power.  The  great  Daimio  pointed 
to  the  body  of  Gengo,  which  no  longer  writhed  on 
the  mats. 

"Tokugawa  men,"  he  called  in  his  deep  and 
[362] 


HIGH    TREASON 

sonorous  voice,  "you  have  heard.  There  lies 
the  tool  of  the  traitors  who  seek  the  overthrow 
of  the  Shogunate.  I  charge  the  Chief  Counsellor 
with  complicity.  Minamoto  lyeyoshi  has  gone 
from  us  without  benefit  of  medicine.  Let  Mina 
moto  lyesada  the  Shogun  be  notified  of  his 
accession  to  the  rulership.  All  men  have  faith  in 
the  loyalty  and  wisdom  of  Abe  Ise-no-kami  and  li 
Kamon-no-kami.  Send  for  them,  that  they  may 
advise  His  Highness." 

"The  loyalty  of  Satsuma  is  undoubted,"  called 
one  of  the  court  officials.  "He  also  should  advise 
lyesada  Sama." 

:'That  is  for  Abe  and  li.  My  task  is  to  check 
the  plot  of  the  traitors.  Obey  no  orders  from 
Midzuano  and  the  Council  of  Elders  unless 
approved  by  lyesada  Sama.  Let  all  gates  of  the 
citadel  and  the  inner  moat  be  doubly  guarded. 
Announce  only  that  lyeyoshi  Sama  has  been 
wounded  by  a  traitor.  I  go  to  watch  the  yashiki 
of  the  Chief  Counsellor.  Until  I  have  received 
the  commands  of  the  Shogun,  no  man  shall  enter 
or  leave  the  gate  of  Midzuano.  There  is  need 
for  utmost  haste!"  He  turned  to  fling  out  his 
hand  over  the  bloody  corpse  of  lyeyoshi  - 
"Vengeance  upon  the  traitors!" 

"Vengeance!"  shouted  the  hatamotos,  and  they 
rushed  from  the  room  in  fierce  eagerness  to  obey 
the  Daimio's  directions. 

[363] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Satsuma  signed  for  me  to  accompany  him,  and 
as  we  hastened  out,  unattended,  he  gave  me  my 
orders  with  courteous  indirectness:  "li  is  with  us; 
Abe  at  least  neutral.  Keiki  and  Midzuano  are 
the  hands  of  old  Mito.  Without  them  he  cannot 
strike.  I  will  seek  to  hold  Midzuano." 

"Owari  will  hold  Keiki  if  the  Mito  men  do  not 
overwhelm  us!"  I  responded. 

"Old  Mito  will  either  strike  at  once,  or  draw 
in  his  claws  and  wait  for  another  opening. 
Announce  that  lyeyoshi  has  been  wounded  by  a 
Mito  man.  That  will  rally  to  us  the  greater 
number  of  the  three  hundred  thousand  samurais 
who  have  flocked  to  Yedo." 

"Wounded?  —  And  slain?"  I  said. 

"Only  wounded.  The  city  must  be  kept  in 
doubt  until  sanction  of  lyesada's  accession  has 
been  received  from  the  Mikado.  It  will  be  well 
for  your  august  father  to  join  his  counsel  to  that 
of  Abe  and  li.  —  Here  is  your  waiting-room." 

I  nodded  farewell,  and  darted  into  the  banquet 
room,  where  my  retainers  sat  in  decorous  quiet, 
keenly  alert  to  the  stir  and  commotion  that 
desecrated  the  solemn  hush  of  the  palace,  yet  all 
unaware  of  its  terrible  cause.  I  told  them  that, 
instigated  by  the  Mito  faction,  my  would-be 
poisoner  had  wounded  the  Shogun,  a  deed  worthy 
of  the  days  of  the  Ashikaga  Shoguns. 

Silencing  their  horrified  outcries  with  a  gesture, 
[364] 


HIGH    TREASON 

I  gave  my  seal  to  Yuki,  and  commanded  him  to 
ride  at  full  speed  to  Owari  Yashiki  and  bring  a  force 
to  assist  me  in  the  blockade  of  Keiki's  residence. 
He  rushed  out  without  an  instant's  delay,  while 
I  followed  with  the  utmost  haste  that  my  princely 
dignity  would  permit. 


[365] 


CHAPTER   XXIX --INTRIGUE 

WITHIN     the    hour     Satsuma     had 
Midzuano  trapped  in  his  yashiki, 
and  I  was  closing  in  upon  Keiki. 
The  Mi  to  men  gathered   rapidly, 
with  the  evident  purpose  of  driving 
us  off  or  cutting  their  way  through  to  their  Hito- 
tsubashi  allies.     But  the  timely  arrival   of  Yuki 
with  a  thousand  Owari   retainers  compelled   the 
enemy  to  draw  back  for  reinforcements.    Before 
these  could  come  up,  the  rumor  of  the  attack  upon 
the   Shogun   had   spread   throughout   the   official 
quarter,  and  so  vast  a  number  of  loyal  samurais 
swarmed  to  my  support  that  the  Mito  men  barely 
averted  destruction  by  a  quick  retreat  across  the 
outer  moat  to  their  Superior  Yashiki. 

A  word  from  me  would  have  precipitated  an 
attack  that  must  have  resulted  in  the  certain 
destruction  of  Keiki.  But  Yuki  and  my  counsellors 
alike  advised  me  against  a  course  of  action  that 
would  undoubtedly  result  in  a  conflagration  not 
alone  of  fire.  The  death  of  Keiki  by  the  sword 
would  be  the  signal  for  civil  war.  Even  the  Prince 
of  Owari  had  no  right  to  punish  the  Shogunate's 
enemies  without  the  command  of  the  Shogun. 

[366] 


INTRIGUE 

The  most  I  could  do  was  to  lay  siege  to  the 
fortified  dwelling  of  the  plotter,  that  no  message 
might  pass  between  him  and  the  old  Prince,  his 
father.  All  through  the  day  we  waited,  lined  up 
about  the  yashiki,  and  backed  by  the  dense  throngs 
of  hatamotos  and  loyal  samurais,  that  came  and 
went,  yet  were  always  too  numerous  to  be  driven 
back  by  a  sortie  of  the  Hitotsubashi  men  or 
scattered  before  an  attack  by  Mito.  Keiki's 
retainers  wisely  kept  close  and  made  no  display 
of  weapons  at  the  yashiki  windows.  My  men  were 
held  by  my  command,  but  there  wrere  times  when 
an  arrow  or  even  a  gibe  would  have  stung  our  allies 
to  an  instant  storming  of  the  traitor's  stronghold. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  my  adopted  father  sent 
a  message  commending  my  actions,  and  asking 
me  to  hold  my  position  until  notified  by  lyesada, 
with  wrhom  he  was  advising.  At  nightfall  we 
lighted  bamboo  torches  and  vast  numbers  of 
lanterns,  that  neither  Keiki  nor  any  messenger 
might  escape  past  us  in  the  darkness. 

A  violent  storm,  accompanied  by  a  deluge  of 
rain  and  a  display  of  lightning  most  unusual  in 
Japan,  swept  over  the  city  during  the  night,  the 
wind  at  one  time  blowing  a  full  gale.  But  though 
we  were  in  the  midst  of  the  typhoon  season,  the 
storm  failed  to  augment  to  hurricane  force.  The 
ardor  of  more  than  half  of  our  volunteer  allies  was 
quenched  by  the  downpour  and  the  turmoil  of 

[367] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

the  elements.  Appalled  by  the  seeming  anger 
of  the  gods,  they  deserted  us  in  great  numbers. 
Yet  enough  remained  for  the  watch  to  be  main 
tained  with  utmost  vigilance  throughout  storm 
and  night. 

Dawn  brought  us  a  clearing  sky  and  lulling 
wind.  At  sunrise  a  rumor  reached  us  that  Mid- 
zuano  had  committed  hara-kiri.  An  hour  later 
an  order  from  the  palace,  signed  by  lyesada  and 
countersigned  by  Abe  Ise-no-kami,  commanded 
me  to  withdraw  my  forces.  Uncertain  whether 
to  obey,  I  despatched  a  messenger  to  Satsuma  for 
instructions.  Before  the  man  could  return,  my 
adopted  father  came  to  me  in  his  norimon,  and 
directed  me  to  comply  with  lyesada's  command. 

Once  again  old  Mito  and  his  accomplices  had 
escaped  the  penalty  of  treason.  Midzuano  had 
destroyed  Kohana's  message,  and  with  a  false 
fidelity  in  the  very  face  of  death,  had  left  a  testa 
ment  to  the  effect  that  he  committed  hara-kiri 
in  proof  of  his  own  innocence  and  the  loyalty  of 
his  friends.  With  consummate  adroitness  he  had 
converted  what  would  have  been  taken  as  a  con 
fession  of  guilt  into  a  shield  to  hide  his  shame  and 
a  mask  for  the  crime  of  his  fellow-conspirators. 

Without  proof  positive,  Abe  Ise-no-kami,  who 
had  already  been  appointed  to  the  office  of  the 
dead  Counsellor,  was  of  too  cautious  a  tempera 
ment  to  proceed  to  extremes.  To  assure  himself 

[368] 


INTRIGUE 

a  majority,  he  had  favored  a  reorganization  of  the 
Council  of  Elders.  Otherwise  the  regime  of  lyesada 
promised  better  opportunity  for  the  success  of  Mito 
than  had  the  iron  rule  of  lyeyoshi.  The  father 
had  been  a  strong  man,  who  could  command  the 
fear  and  respect  of  all  the  great  daimios;  the  son 
was  an  amiable,  capricious  weakling.  Abe,  though 
astute,  was  over-cautious  and  lacked  the  force  and 
magnetism  of  a  leader.  His  would  be  a  policy 
of  expediency. 

Such  were  the  bitter  comments  of  my  father  as 
we  sat  in  Owari  Yashiki,  breaking  our  fast  on  the 
dainty  dishes  served  us  by  my  quaint  little  mother. 
Divining  with  subtle  intuition  the  great  fear  that 
troubled  her  son,  Tokiwa  Sama  ventured  to  inquire 
what  effect  the  murder  of  lyeyoshi  would  have  on 
my  marriage.  The  Prince  confessed  his  inability 
to  foresee,  but  assured  me  that  he  would  make 
every  effort  to  obtain  from  Abe  and  lyesada  a 
confirmation  of  the  agreement. 

With  this  he  left  us  and  returned  to  the  palace,  — 
to  find  Keiki  already  in  conference  with  the  new 
Chief  Counsellor.  It  was  the  beginning  of  a 
ceaseless  contest  of  influence  and  intrigue  between 
Owari  and  Mito. 

Sobered  by  the  fate  of  his  fellow-conspirator 
and  guided  no  doubt  by  the  crafty  counsel  of  his 
imprisoned  father,  Keiki  restrained  his  fiery  temper 
and  proved  himself  a  master  of  subtlety.  With 

[369] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

every  move  he  expressed  a  heartfelt  desire  for  an 
amicable  adjustment  of  differences  and  for  the 
coalescence  of  all  parties  under  the  banner  of  the 
Shogunate.  This  was  his  protestation  even  while 
his  agents  were  intriguing  with  the  Kyoto  court 
nobles  to  prevent  the  formal  investiture  of  lyesada 
with  the  title  and  office  of  Sei-i-tai  Shogun. 

Meantime  he  had  the  audacity  to  demand  the 
immediate  release  of  his  father,  my  degradation 
and  deportation  as  a  tojin,  and  the  marriage  of 
Azai  to  himself.  Our  only  positive  proposition 
was  that  the  ports  should  be  opened  for  temporary 
intercourse.  Against  us  the  Mito  faction  stirred 
up  all  the  prejudices,  fears,  and  passions  of  the 
proud  samurai  class. 

Abe  assumed  a  judicial  attitude,  and  did  all 
that  lay  in  his  power  to  conciliate  the  contending 
factions.  To  please  Mito,  he  authorized  the 
building  of  war  junks,  the  drilling  of  an  army,  and 
the  casting  of  cannon.  Plans  for  forts  upon  the 
shoals  opposite  Shinagawa  were  rushed  to  com 
pletion  and  work  begun. 

To  please  Owari,  he  refused  to  take  action 
against  me,  caused  the  abrogation  of  the  law  that 
required  persons  suspected  of  Christianity  to  tread 
upon  the  cross,  held  the  question  of  releasing  old 
Mito  in  abeyance,  and  intimated  that  with  regard 
to  Azai  he  rather  favored  me  above  Keiki,  but 
would  make  no  decision  until  the  regular  investiture 

[370] 


INTRIGUE 

of  lyesada  gave  the  new  Shogun  the  prestige  of  the 
Mikadoic  sanction. 

The  last  of  the  answers  of  the  daimios  to  the 
letters  of  inquiry  sent  out  by  lyeyoshi  were  now 
coming  in,  and  Abe  compared  them  with  the  others, 
with  a  politic  inclination  towards  the  weightier 
scale.  Yet  decision  was  difficult.  The  vast 
majority  of  the  counsellors  were  uncertain  and 
confused  in  their  advice.  Against  a  seeming 
weight  of  opinion  in  favor  of  the  ancient  laws, 
the  perplexed  premier  had  to  consider  the  demands 
of  the  Russian  admiral,  Pontiatine,  just  received 
from  Nagasaki,  the  not  improbable  event  of  a 
visit  from  the  powerful  Asiatic  fleet  of  the  British, 
and  the  future  but  certain  return  of  Commodore 
Perry. 

The  inevitable  result  was  a  continuance  of  the 
policy  of  compromise.  The  Mito  intrigues  at 
Kyoto  were  delaying  the  investiture  of  lyesada. 
To  secure  the  Mikadoic  sanction  the  weak  Chief 
Counsellor  promised  Keiki  the  release  of  his  father. 
To  appease  our  party  for  this  concession  to  the 
enemy,  Abe  pledged  his  personal  influence  in  favor 
of  a  temporary  treaty  and  engaged  to  secure  the 
assent  of  the  Mikado.  Keiki  obtained  an  addi 
tional  concession  that  old  Rekko  should  be  placed 
in  command  of  the  defences  of  Yedo. 

When  the  Prince  heard  of  this  last  victory  of 
Mito,  he  went  to  the  palace  in  a  rage.  Abe  was 

[371] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

most  apologetic,  but  insisted  that  the  concession 
had  been  pledged  under  the  seal  of  lyesada,  and 
could  not  be  withdrawn.  As  a  peace  offering  he 
agreed  to  obtain  lyesada's  assent  to  my  marriage 
with  Azai. 


[372] 


CHAPTER  XXX  -  -  MY  WEDDING  EVE 

WHEN  the  Prince  returned  with  this 
last  news,  I  found   that  at  heart 
I  was  still  very  much  a  tojin.     All 
thought  of  state  affairs,  the  inter 
ests  of  my  new  country  and  of  my  old  country, 
were  alike  forgotten  in  the  selfish  joy  of  my  love. 
I  was  to  wed  my  little  Princess! 

Blissful  elation  gave  way  to  doubt  and  anxiety. 
The  death  of  lyeyoshi  had  not  yet  been  announced. 
Abe  was  waiting  for  the  Mikado's  envoys.  When 
lyesada  had  been  duly  confirmed  in  his  rule, 
lyeyoshi  would  be  officially  declared  dead  and 
would  be  buried  with  all  due  pomp  amongst  his 
forefathers  either  at  Shiba  or  Uyeno.  My  fear 
was  that,  once  the  period  of  mourning  had  begun, 
Azai  might  not  be  permitted  to  marry  me  until 
the  termination  of  the  prescribed  months  of 
sorrow. 

Though  puzzled  by  my  feverish  impatience  at 
the  bare  possibility  of  delay,  the  Prince  urged 
the  matter  upon  Satsuma.  The  Daimio,  no  less 
willing  to  please  me  than  to  disappoint  Keiki, 
enlisted  the  assistance  of  his  adopted  daughter, 
lyesada's  wife.  The  lady  was,  I  suspect,  delighted 

[373] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

with  the  opportunity  to  remove  from  the  palace 
one  whose  influence  was  far  greater  than  her 
own. 

Abe  found  lyesada  not  only  willing  but  urgent 
to  bind  the  House  of  Owari  to  his  interests  by 
means  of  the  marriage.  Satsuma  offered  himself 
as  intermediator  between  the  two  families. 
Arrangements  were  made  under  a  mutual  agree 
ment  that,  in  view  of  the  circumstances,  the 
wedding  should  be  conducted  without  display. 
An  act  accomplished  escapes  opposition  and  a 
large  share  of  the  criticism  otherwise  uttered  in 
the  hope  of  prevention. 

The  wishes  of  Azai  were  not  consulted.  She 
was  told  that  she  would  be  wedded  to  me  the 
following  night.  Presents  were  exchanged,  and 
the  trousseau  of  my  bride  was  brought  at  once 
to  Owari  Yashiki,  in  the  charge  of  Azai's  ladies-in- 
waiting.  Even  Tokiwa  Sama  was  impressed  by 
the  display  of  silk  costumes  and  ornaments  and 
artistic  articles  of  personal  and  household  use 
arranged  in  the  bridal  apartments  by  the  ladies 
of  the  Princess.  My  own  wardrobe  was  arranged 
by  my  mother  and  her  maids. 

Propriety  required  that  I  should  not  view  the 
trousseau  of  my  bride  before  the  ceremony.  But 
chance  gave  me  one  glimpse  that  stirred  my  heart 
to  deepest  tenderness,  While  passing  one  of 
the  inner  garden  courts,  I  chanced  to  gaze  across, 

[374] 


MY    WEDDING    EVE 

and  caught  sight  of  a  girl  within  the  opposite 
veranda.  It  was  O  Setsu  San  bearing  in  the 
favorite  dolls  of  her  mistress. 

I  sought  the  seclusion  of  a  grape  arbor  in  the 
largest  of  the  yashiki  gardens,  and  mused  for  hours 
upon  the  sweet  innocence  of  my  little  Princess 
bride.  The  thought  of  her  childlike  purity  filled 
me  with  adoration.  I  had  won  the  love  and  trust 
of  this  young  maiden  who  yet  played  with  her 
dolls.  I  must  be  very  gentle  with  her. 

Death  had  deprived  her  of  a  father's  fond  care, 
marriage  was  to  cut  her  off  from  home  and  mother. 
By  entering  the  family  of  Owari  she  was  to  become 
as  one  dead  to  her  own  family.  She  had  been  the 
petted  daughter  of  an  indulgent  father;  she  was 
to  become  the  wife  and  servant  of  a  husband  and 
the  humble  subordinate  of  a  mother-in-law,  whose 
commands  must  be  obeyed. 

Yet  hers  was  a  fate  far  better  than  the  fate  of 
most  Japanese  brides.  She  loved  me  and  knew 
that  she  was  loved:  others  went  to  husbands 
unknown  to  them,  many  without  so  much  as  the 
preliminary  meeting  common  among  the  lower 
classes.  Tokiwra  Sama  I  knew  would  be  a  mild 
tyrant  to  the  gentle  daughter-in-law.  As  a  con 
cession  to  my  tojin  prejudices,  if  not  because  of 
the  winsomeness  of  my  bride,  she  would  not  deal 
harshly  with  my  wife. 

This  I  knew  because  she  had  already  made  the 
[375] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

amazing  concession  of  supporting  me  in  a  con 
test  against  custom.  It  was  my  earnest  desire 
that  my  bride  should  come  to  the  wedding  without 
the  customary  shaving  of  eyebrows  and  blacken 
ing  of  teeth.  I  had  laid  great  stress  upon  this 
strange  proposal.  The  matter  had  been  carried 
up  to  lyesada,  and  precedent  found  for  a  postpone 
ment  of  the  senseless  blemishings  until  after  the 
marriage. 

Though  much  astonishment  was  expressed  over 
the  betrayal  of  such  absurd  prejudices  by  the 
Prince  of  Owari,  Satsuma  won  over  his  daughter, 
and  lyesada  bent  to  the  wish  of  his  Shoguness. 
The  Princess  Azai  was  ordered  to  comply  with  the 
whim  of  her  future  husband.  For  the  time,  at 
least,  I  had  saved  the  beauty  of  my  darling. 

The  good  news  of  this  concession  was  brought 
to  me  by  Satsuma  on  the  morning  of  my  wedding 
day,  and  it  added  no  little  to  my  rapturous  antici 
pations.  Overcome  with  joy,  I  went  out  into 
the  gardens  and  wandered  about,  neglectful  of 
my  duties,  lost  in  a  maze  of  blissful  visions.  But 
presently  the  old  Prince  sought  me  out  and  sobered 
me  with  his  paternal  reproof. 

"Is  it  so  that  Woroto  prepares  himself  for  matri 
mony?"  he  asked.  "On  the  day  of  all  days  when 
a  man  should  think  reverently  of  the  family,  my 
son  has  neglected  to  stand  before  the  shrines  of 
his  forefathers." 

[  376  ] 


I  kowtowed  to  the  ground.  'The  rebuke  of 
my  august  parent  is  just.  I  will  go  at  once." 

He  restrained  me  with  a  gesture  as  I  rose  to 
hasten  in.  "Stay,  my  son.  It  is  well  for  you 
to  realize  that  what  you  have  set  your  heart  upon 
with  such  strange  ardor  is  not  certain  of  attainment 
even  now." 

"Not  certain!"  I  cried.  ''You  bring  ill  news 
from  the  palace?" 

"I  have  not  been  to  the  palace.  From  all  I 
know,  your  day's  fortunes  are  as  bright  as  is  this 
sky  after  the  rain." 

"Yet  you  say—?" 

"Have  you  then  failed  to  grasp  the  character 
istics  of  your  new  people,  Woroto?  Do  you  forget 
that  the  times  when  we  should  most  expect  our 
enemy  to  strike  are  the  hours  of  our  greatest 
joys  and  triumphs?  Your  audience  as  Prince  of 
Owari  brought  you  the  flask  of  poisoned  sake." 

"Namida!"  I  murmured,  seized  with  vague 
dread.  'You  have  heard  of  another  plot!  Keiki 
plans  to  rob  me  of  my  bride!  Yuki  has  brought 
word  again  from  Kohana!" 

"Nothing  has  been  heard  of  any  plot.  Yuki 
brings  no  word  from  the  geisha.  He  committed  the 
grave  error  of  leaving  in  the  street  the  hollow  arrow 
in  which  she  shot  out  to  him  the  message  of  the 
poison  plot.  If  it  was  picked  up  by  the  Mito  men, 
we  have  the  explanation  why  no  more  arrows  have 

[377] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

dropped  beside  the  ronin.     The  girl  will  render  no 
further  service  to  Owari." 

"But  the  Shogun's  daughter  —  my  bride?"  I 
exclaimed,  selfishly  heedless  of  whatever  fate  the 
geisha  may  have  suffered.  "  You  think  it  possible 
that  Keiki  will  again  attack  her  cortege?" 

"Look  for  all  evil  from  your  foe  when  fortune 
seems  fairest.  Go  now.  The  gods  await  your 
prayers." 

I  bowed,  and  with  unfeigned  gravity  went  in 
to  set  the  daily  offerings  before  the  Buddhist 
family  shrine  and  murmur  the  daily  invocation 
before  the  Shinto  tablets:  "Ye  forefathers  of  the 
generations,  and  of  our  families,  and  of  our  kindred, 
-  unto  you,  the  founders  of  our  homes,  we  utter 
the  gladness  of  our  thanks. " 

My  duty  as  acting  head  of  the  household  was 
fulfilled,  but  my  disquiet  continued.  I  returned 
to  the  garden  and  roved  about  for  hours,  unable 
to  overcome  the  dread  of  impending  disaster. 
As  evening  approached,  my  alarm  increased, 
though  I  knew  that  Fujimaro  and  Yuki  had  been 
sent  with  a  powerful  escort  to  accompany  the 
bride.  When  I  was  required  to  go  in  to  prepare 
for  the  ceremony,  Tokiwa  Sama  sought  to  smile 
away  my  dread.  But  I  was  in  a  fever  of  appre 
hension  until  announcement  was  made  that  the 
bridal  cortege  was  entering  the  great  gate  of 
the  yashiki. 

[378] 


MY    WEDDING    EVE 

At  this  my  dread  gave  way  to  joy  no  less  unrea 
soning.  I  hastened  in  my  ceremonial  costume 
to  the  position  within  the  entrance  where  I  was 
to  receive  my  bride.  Outside,  to  right  and  left, 
two  fires  had  been  lighted,  and  beside  each  an 
aged  couple  stood  waiting  with  a  rice  mortar. 
Near  me  was  stationed  one  of  the  ladies-in-waiting 
with  a  lantern,  and  other  ladies  stood  behind  her. 

The  armed  escort  had  halted  in  the  courtyard, 
and  the  bridal  party  was  already  entering  the 
inner  enclosure.  In  the  light  of  the  gay  lanterns 
I  saw  the  norimon  of  the  Princess,  which  had  been 
turned  about  end  for  end  to  symbolize  her  death 
to  her  family.  It  was  borne  forward  in  the  midst 
of  the  high  officials  of  the  palace  household.  My 
chief  retainers  gathered  before  the  entrance  to  meet 
and  exchange  congratulations  with  the  hatamotos. 
The  old  couples  beside  the  fires  began  to  pound  rice 
in  their  mortars  and  to  call  out  felicitations:  "A 
thousand  years!  -  -  Ten  thousand  years!" 

The  norimon,  which  had  been  placed  upon  the 
mats,  was  again  raised  and  borne  in  before  me. 
The  lady-in-waiting  held  her  lantern  for  me. 
I  parted  the  curtain  and  looked  in  upon  the  lovely 
face  of  my  bride.  Her  pure  young  eyes  met 
mine,  aglow  with  the  soft  radiance  of  perfect 
love  and  trust.  For  either  to  have  spoken  would 
have  been  most  improper.  But  we  gazed  deep 
into  one  another's  eyes. 

[379] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

The  lady-in-waiting  uttered  a  faint  murmur. 
Azai  blushed  scarlet  and  raised  one  of  her  sleeves 
before  her  face.  With  her  free  hand  she  held 
out  to  me  the  bag  of  brocaded  silk  that  contained 
her  amulet  or  talisman.  As  I  took  it  from  her, 
the  norimon  was  carried  in  past  me,  led  by  the 
lady  with  the  lantern.  I  handed  the  amulet  bag 
to  another  lady-in-waiting,  and  withdrew  to  my 
private  rooms. 

Even  to  my  impatience  the  interval  did  not 
seem  unduly  prolonged  before  I  was  requested  to 
enter  the  ceremonial  chamber.  My  attendants 
stopped  in  the  anteroom.  I  entered  alone. 

Azai  sat  in  the  place  of  honor,  before  the 
tokonoma,  dressed  in  robes  of  pure  white  silk,  which 
had  been  sent  to  her  in  my  name.  Over  her  head 
was  draped  a  veil  of  white  crepe.  To  all  others 
the  costume  was  symbolic  of  death  and  mourn 
ing,  to  myself  it  was  the  emblem  of  bridal  purity. 

According  to  immemorial  custom,  no  relatives 
were  present.  Satsuma,  as  our  mediator,  took 
the  place  of  priest  and  magistrate,  although  he 
now  had  nothing  to  say  and  nothing  else  to  do 
than  to  sit  with  his  wife.  Aside  from  this  friendly 
couple,  O  Setsu  San  and  others  of  the  ladies-in- 
waiting  attended  upon  their  mistress. 

Food  and  sake  had  been  laid  out  in  the  tokonoma, 
which  was  decorated  with  branches  of  pine  and 
bamboo  and  cherry.  When  I  had  taken  my  seat 

[380] 


MY    WEDDING    E  V  K 

below  and  to  one  side  of  Azai,  two  of  the  ladies 
served  us  with  chestnuts,  edible  seaweed,  and 
dried  fish,  bowing  and  murmuring  gracious  words 
of  compliment. 

The  sake  was  in  two  wine  flasks  to  which  had 
been  attached  a  pair  of  butterflies,  symbolic  of 
our  souls.  These  flasks  and  two  heating  kettles 
were  taken  from  the  tokonoma  to  the  lower  part 
of  the  room,  and  the  amber  wine  poured  cere 
moniously  into  one  and  then  the  other  kettle. 

Three  cups,  placed  one  within  the  other  on  a 
tray,  were  brought  to  me  with  the  sake.  I  drank 
twice  from  the  upper  cup,  poured  a  little  sake 
from  the  full  kettle  into  the  empty  one,  and  drank 
again  from  the  same  cup.  The  service  was  now 
carried  before  Azai,  who  drank  and  poured  as  I 
had  done.  The  wine  was  returned  to  the  tokonoma 
and  food  served  to  us. 

Again  the  sake  was  brought  out,  and  we  drank  as 
before,  except  that  Azai  was  served  first  and  used 
the  second  cup.  For  the  second  time  the  sake 
was  returned  to  the  tokonoma  and  food  served. 
Last  of  all,  the  sake  was  brought  to  us  once  more 
and  I  led,  as  at  first,  by  drinking  from  the  third 
cup. 

Throughout  this  mute  yet  solemn  ceremony 
I  was  compelled  to  sit  with  face  half  averted  from 
my  sweet  bride.  To  look  at  her  would  have  been 
rude  and  unmannerly.  I  had  to  content  myself 

[381] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

with  stolen  side-glances  at  her  dainty  head  under 
its  soft  white  veil.  She  held  her  eyes  modestly 
downcast. 

I  now  rose  and  withdrew  to  one  room,  and 
Azai  retired  to  another,  while  our  attendants 
were  served  with  refreshments.  I  returned  to 
take  the  seat  of  honor.  Immediately  my  little 
bride  entered,  no  longer  attired  in  white,  but  in 
a  kimono  of  soft  dark  silk.  The  veil  had  been 
removed,  and  I  saw  that  her  hair  was  dressed 
after  the  fashion  of  married  women.  She  was  now 
my  wife. 

As  she  nestled  down  in  the  place  which  had  been 
mine,  my  parents  and  the  wedding  guests  entered 
to  congratulate  us  and  to  join  in  the  feast  that 
was  served.  For  the  time  being  austerity  was 
laid  aside,  and  joy  reigned  supreme.  Owari  was 
providing  for  the  perpetuation  of  the  family.  It 
was  proper  for  all  relatives  and  friends  to  feast 
and  rejoice.  Course  followed  course,  and  wit  and 
poetry  flowed  as  freely  as  the  amber  rice-wine. 

At  last,  close  upon  midnight,  the  feast  drew 
to  a  close,  and  the  guests  prepared  to  leave.  I  sat 
with  my  bride,  receiving  the  final  congratulations 
and  farewells.  The  more  wearied  of  the  guests 
hurried  off;  the  others  prepared  to  follow.  Soon 
the  last  would  withdraw,  and  we  should  be  left 
alone  with  Satsuma  and  his  wife,  who  were  to 
conduct  us  to  the  bridal  chamber. 

[382] 


MY    WEDDING    EVE 

Suddenly  I  heard  Yuki's  voice  in  the  anteroom, 
raised  in  loud  protest.  The  Prince  hastened  out 
through  the  midst  of  the  departing  guests,  enraged 
at  the  unseemly  disturbance.  All  followed  his 
going  with  startled  looks.  In  the  hush  that  fell 
upon  us  I  heard  voices  murmuring  punctilious 
salutations. 

The  Prince  reappeared,  his  face  no  longer  flushed, 
but  hard  and  cold.  He  waved  his  fan  towards 
Azai,  and  commanded  in  a  harsh  voice:  "Lead 
her  out." 

But  my  darling  had  sensed  the  danger  with 
quick  intuition.  She  threw  herself  before  me  and 
grasped  at  the  edge  of  my  robe.  Over  her  bowed 
head  I  caught  sight  of  a  grotesque,  glittering  figure 
on  the  threshold.  It  was  Keiki,  in  full  armor. 

My  first  thought  was  that  the  occasion  had 
enabled  the  Mito  men  to  enter  the  yashiki  by 
stealth  and  overwhelm  our  retainers  in  their 
quarters.  Yet  an  attack,  however  sudden  and 
stealthy,  must  have  meant  some  uproar  of  yells 
and  clashing  blades.  We  could  not  have  failed 
to  hear  the  struggle,  even  had  there  been  no 
other  sounds  than  the  shrieks  of  the  women. 

As  I  rose,  I  perceived  that  the  sword  of  our 
unwelcome  visitor  was  sheathed  and  in  the  hands 
of  a  bearer.  There  wras  no  danger  of  immediate 
violence.  Yuki  stood  close  at  the  shoulder  of 
my  enemy.  Nevertheless  there  was  a  grim  menace 

[383] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

in  the  glinting  armor  and  hideous  face-mask  of  the 
son  of  Mito. 

I  bowed  in  response  to  his  mocking  salute,  and 
attempted  an  ironical  greeting:  "Keiki  Sama 
comes  late  to  my  wedding  feast.  Yet  food  remains. 
Let  him  be  seated." 

"I  come  late  and  go  soon,"  he  replied,  in  a  tone 
that  seemed  to  bring  a  sneer  to  the  brazen  lips 
of  his  mask's  gaping  maw.  "I  come  late,  but 
still  in  time.  Does  the  hairy  barbarian  grieve 
that  I  did  not  come  sooner?" 

I  turned  inquiringly  to  the  Prince.  Before 
the  enemy  he  could  betray  no  weakness.  His 
voice  sounded  harsh  and  constrained:  "Keiki 
Sama  bears  the  edict  of  the  Mikado,  which  holds 
that  Woroto  is  legally  neither  my  son  nor  Prince 
of  Owari.  He  whom  I  have  regarded  as  my  son  is 
declared  to  be  a  criminal  and  a  man  of  alien  race. 
Keiki  Sama  bears  the  warrant  of  Minamoto 
lyesada  and  the  Council  of  Elders  to  arrest 
Adamisu  Woroto  and  hold  him  in  close  confine 
ment." 

Satsuma  stepped  forward.  "Keiki  Sama  is 
requested  to  delay  the  execution  of  his  orders 
until  dawn.  The  pledge  of  Satsuma  is  offered." 

:'The  pledge  of  Satsuma  may  not  be  scorned 
by  any  daimio  or  son  of  a  daimio.  Nevertheless 
the  occasion  does  not  permit  of  delay.  The 
command  of  the  Shogun  is  imperative,"  replied 

[3841 


MY    WEDDING    EVE 

Keiki,    and   he   displayed   his   warrant    with    the 
great  vermilion  seal  of  Minamoto  lyesada. 

"My  Lord  Woroto,"  called  Yuki,  "your  enemy 
has  duped  the  Shogun  with  evil  lies.  Are  there 
no  samurais  in  Owari  Yashiki?" 

'The  barbarian  is  welcome  to  call  upon  Owari 
to  rebel  against  the  will  of  the  Shogun,"  mocked 
Keiki.  ''The  august  Rekko,  Prince  of  Mito,  now 
commands  the  forces  of  the  Shogunate.  Ten 
thousand  warriors  surround  Owari  Yashiki." 

I  stooped  before  them  all,  and  pressed  my  lips 
upon  the  bloodless  lips  of  Azai.  "Farewell,  my 
wife!  We  will  meet  on  that  other  side! " 

"You  go,  my  lord!"  she  gasped. 

"Better  that  the  tojin  outcast  should  suffer 
than  all  Owari,"  I  replied,  and  I  loosened  her 
clutching  little  fingers.  No  one  should  share  my 
fate. 

She  tottered  up  to  follow  me  down  the  room. 
But  Nature  was  more  merciful  than  Keiki.  She 
swooned  into  the  arms  of  my  weeping  mother. 
The  Prince  averted  his  head,  unable  to  mask 
his  emotion.  I  advanced  swiftly  past  the  guests 
that  had  lingered,  and  held  out  my  sheathed  dirk 
to  Keiki. 

"Lead  out,  badger!  The  tojin  is  ready,"  I 
said. 

"Go  before,  demon!"  he  commanded,  enraged 
at  the  shameful  name  I  gave  him. 

[385] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Yuki  had  disappeared,  but  the  Prince  stepped 
to  my  side. 

"Owari  dono  will  escort  to  the  portico  him  who 
was  his  son,"  he  said. 

We  walked  out  side  by  side,  followed  by  Keiki 
and  his  swordbearer.  We  went  in  silence.  The 
Prince  could  offer  me  no  hope,  and  it  was  no  time 
to  give  way  to  grief.  In  the  portico  we  exchanged 
formal  bows  of  farewell.  I  passed  on  out. 

Yuki  approached,  with  his  hands  in  his  sleeves, 
and  sought  to  edge  up  beside  me.  I  divined  that 
he  schemed  to  slip  me  one  or  both  of  my  revolvers. 
But  Keiki  was  keen-eyed  and  vigilant.  He  thrust 
himself  between  us.  With  the  swordbearer  on 
the  other  side,  I  walked  out  through  the  state 
gate  of  Owari  Yashiki,  into  the  midst  of  the  mail- 
clad  samurais  of  Mito  and  Hitotsubashi. 


[386] 


CHAPTER    XXXI  -  -  IN  THE  POWER  OF  MITO 

AT   the   command    of   Keiki,    men    with 
iron  gloves  seized  me  and  stripped  me 
of  my  brocaded  wedding  robes.    Bound 
hand   and   foot,    I   was   flung   into   a 
kago  and  a  net  entwined   about   me. 
I  was  spared  the  shame  of  daylight,  but  torches 
and  lanterns  exposed  the  white-skinned  captive  to 
all  who  chose  to  look  and  revile. 

They  bore  me  along  the  outer  moat  to  Mito 
Yashiki  and  through  the  great  gate  into  the  grim 
torture  chamber.  Without  loosening  the  rattan 
withes  that  cut  my  flesh,  they  dropped  me  into 
a  dungeon  pit  built  beneath  the  stone  floor  of 
the  chamber.  I  was  flung  in  headlong,  but 
managed  to  turn  in  the  air  and  alight  upon  my 
feet.  Otherwise  I  believe  the  fall  would  have 
proved  fatal.  Had  I  been  stunned,  I  must  have 
smothered  in  the  ankle-deep  slime  that  covered 
the  bottom  of  the  pit. 

Even  as  it  was,  I  could  not  hold  my  balance 
with  my  bound  feet,  squarely  as  I  struck.  I 
sprawled  prone  in  the  filth.  As  I  struggled  up  to 
a  sitting  position,  Keiki  flung  down  a  torch  at 
me.  The  flaming  end  tore  and  seared  the  skin 

[387] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

of  my  naked  side  and  glanced  down  into  the  slime 
with  a  loud  splutter. 

"Hear  the  snarl  of  the  tojin  beast!"  he  jeered. 
"We  have  been  told  much  of  frogs  in  the  well. 
Mito  can  now  tell  of  the  toad  in  the  pit." 

With  this  a  great  stone  was  clapped  over  the 
mouth  of  the  dungeon,  and  I  was  left  to  the 
misery  of  my  fetid  quarters  and  the  anguish  of 
my  thoughts.  The  moistening  of  my  bonds  in 
the  slime  eased  somewhat  the  pain  of  their 
incutting  edges.  But  nothing  could  ease  my 
mental  agony. 

Since  the  first  I  had  been  as  it  were  dazed  by 
the  disaster  that  had  befallen  me.  Now  I  no 
longer  had  the  presence  of  my  enemy  to  sustain 
the  anger  that  had  added  to  my  bewilderment. 
Cold  horror  dampened  my  fury  even  as  the  dank 
air  of  the  dungeon  chilled  my  fevered  body.  As 
my  brain  cooled  I  began  to  realize  with  frightful 
clearness  the  full  measure  of  my  downfall.  One 
hour,  Prince  of  Owari,  in  all  Yedo  second  to  none 
other  than  the  Shogun,  —  the  next,  a  despised 
barbarian  toad  in  this  pit  of  filth.  One  hour,  the 
bridegroom  of  the  Shogun's  daughter,  —  the  next, 
an  outcast  menaced  with  atrocious  torture  and 
infamous  execution. 

In  vain  I  sought  to  gain  a  shred  of  hope  by  wild 
thoughts  of  rescue.  Always  I  came  back  to  the 
bitter  realization  that  Mito  had  outwitted  Owari. 

[388] 


IX    THE    POWER    OF    MITO 

Backed  by  the  Mikadoic  decree,  Mito  was  all 
but  unassailable.  Armed  with  the  authority  of 
the  Shogunate,  old  Rekko  and  his  faction  held 
the  sword  above  Owari,  eager  for  a  sign  of  rebel 
lion.  My  father  had  forewarned  me  that  he 
could  do  nothing  if  the  Shogun  commanded  my 
punishment.  I  thought  of  Satsuma  and  the  power 
of  his  personality  with  a  momentary  glimmer. 
If  Mito  failed  to  bar  his  way  to  the  palace,  the 
great  Daimio  could  reach  lyesada  through  his 
daughter.  lyesada  would  command  Abe,  and 
then  - 

But  Abe  had  called  upon  the  tiger  for  aid,  and 
had  been  lured  on  until  he  had  put  his  head  into 
the  tiger's  mouth.  He  would  have  enough  to  do 
to  extricate  himself  and  his  master,  without 
troubling  over  the  difficulties  of  a  tojin  toad  in 
Keiki's  pit.  All  was  lost  to  me,  all!  —  my  new 
country  and  friends,  rank  and  title,  father  and 
mother,  and  —  Azai ! 

I  had  to  thank  the  mephitic  gases  of  the  dungeon 
for  a  merciful  dulling  of  consciousness.  With  the 
single  opening,  at  the  top  covered  over,  the  air 
became  so  close  and  foul  that  I  sank  into  a  stupor. 
I  cowered  lower  in  the  slime,  with  my  chin  fallen 
forward  on  my  breast.  My  anguish  resolved 
itself  into  hideous  unending  nightmares. 

A  sharp  pang  in  the  front  of  my  left  breast 
roused  me  from  my  torpor.  About  me  I  saw 

[389] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

the  loathsome  walls  of  the  dungeon  illumined  by 
a  ray  of  reflected  sunlight.  The  darting  pain  in 
my  breast  redoubled  in  sharpness.  I  was  jerked 
upright.  A  pole  had  been  lowered  through  the 
hole  above  me,  and  the  hook  upon  its  end  had  been 
slipped  under  my  left  arm.  When  drawn  up, 
the  point  of  the  hook  had  pierced  the  muscles 
of  my  chest.  Strong  hands  hoisted  me  roughly 
upwards  to  the  mouth  of  the  pit.  I  was  swung 
out  and  cast  down  upon  the  stone  flagging  of  the 
torture  chamber.  The  shock  won  a  groan  from 
me  where  even  the  hook  had  failed. 

"The  toad  croaks! "  jeered  a  voice  I  should  have 
known  had  I  been  dying.  Numbed  by  my  bonds 
I  could  scarcely  twist  my  head  about  to  glare  my 
hate  into  his  beautiful  evil  face.  He  smiled  and 
bowed  low  to  me.  "Behold  the  bridegroom,  fresh 
come  from  his  bridal  chamber!  Ten  thousand 
felicitous  years!" 

"My  lord  will  not  permit  the  beast  to  stand 
unwashed  before  the  presence  of  the  august 
Rekko  Sama,"  remarked  one  of  the  chamberlains 
who  stood  beside  Keiki.  :'The  august  Prince 
abhors  stenches." 

"Let  hot  water  be  brought,"  commanded  Keiki. 
"It  were  a  shame  to  defile  even  an  eta's  bath 
with  the  filth  of  a  tojin  toad." 

At  the  word,  attendants  clattered  out  to  fetch 
buckets  of  steaming  water.  The  first  bucketful 

[390] 


IN    THE    POWER    OF    MITO 

was  so  near  scalding  that  I  writhed  under  it  like 
an  eel  in  the  pan.  Others,  no  less  hot,  followed 
in  quick  succession,  while  men  with  brooms 
scoured  my  parboiled  skin  and  beat  me  between 
the  drenchings.  I  thought  I  should  die  of  the 
torture. 

Yet  the  water  was  not  quite  hot  enough  to 
scald  me,  and  between  it  and  the  scouring  brooms, 
I  was  cleansed  of  the  dungeon  filth.  No  surgeon 
could  have  bathed  my  wounds  more  thoroughly. 
My  violent  gasps  pumped  the  pure  air  deep  into 
my  poisoned  lungs,  and  the  heavy  throbs  of  my 
heart  sent  the  blood  tingling  through  my  benumbed 
limbs  and  brain.  When  Keiki  gave  command  to 
cease  the  washing,  I  lay  outstretched  on  the  wet 
stones,  bruised  and  aching  from  head  to  foot,  but 
freed  from  all  the  ill  effects  of  the  pit. 

"My  august  father  will  now  view  the  snow 
white  skin  of  the  tojin  sama"  said  Keiki.  "Cut 
loose  the  ankle  withe." 

The  rattan  about  my  ankles  wras  slashed  apart, 
and  I  was  jerked  to  my  feet.  Though  weak  and 
unsteady,  I  was  able  to  stand  unaided.  Prodding 
dirks  drove  me  across  to  the  front  of  the  torture 
chamber,  where  a  frame  with  curtains  of  split 
bamboo  had  been  set  up  on  the  matting  of  the 
raised  floor.  Keiki  stepped  up  and  kowtowed 
beside  the  frame.  I  heard  no  sound,  but  presently 
he  turned  and  addressed  me  with  mock  courtesy: 

[391] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"The  tojin  sama  is  requested  to  exhibit  to  august 
eyes  the  manners  of  his  people." 

I  stared  at  the  centre  of  the  curtain,  through 
which  I  fancied  that  I  saw  the  outline  of  a  seated 
figure. 

'The  Prince  of  Mito  is  said  to  regard  tojins  as 
midway  between  beasts  and  demons,"  I  replied. 
"He  will  have  ample  opportunity  to  judge  of 
tojin  manners  when  the  black  ships  of  my  people 
return  to  Yedo  Bay." 

"Woroto  Sama  will  not  be  so  unkind  as  to 
compel  the  august  one  to  wait  an  uncertain  event," 
purred  Keiki.  "Request  is  made  that  he  show 
the  behavior  of  a  tojin  of  low  birth  who  has  been 
overcome  with  drink." 

"It  is  evident  that  Rekko  Sama  seeks  to  ape 
the  tricks  of  the  shoguns  with  the  Dutchmen," 
I  rejoined.  ''There  is  this  difference  —  Rekko 
Sama  is  not  yet  Shogun,  and  I  am  not  a  Dutch 
tradesman." 

Keiki's  smile  deepened,  and  he  murmured 
imploringly:  ;'Yet  will  not  the  American  lord 
condescend  to  exhibit  the  manner  in  which  a 
daimio  of  his  people  salutes  his  bride?" 

Had  my  hands  been  free  I  must  have  leaped 
upon  the  raised  floor  and  throttled  him  or  been 
killed  in  the  attempt.  I  bowed  over  and  waited 
until  I  had  regained  my  self-control.  My  reply 
was  uttered  as  suavely  as  his  jeer:  "In  my  land 

[392] 


IN    THE    POWER    OF    MITO 

there  is  an  inferior  people,  smooth-faced  and  not 
white-skinned.  They  are  a  race  of  base  savages, 
who,  until  conquered  and  subjected  by  my  people, 
delighted  in  the  torment  of  their  captives." 

Across  Keiki's  face  flitted  a  look  that  might 
have  done  credit  to  an  Iroquois  or  Sioux  war 
rior  dancing  before  the  stake  of  a  burning  enemy. 
He  was  defeated  on  his  own  ground.  There 
was  a  short  pause.  I  fancied  that  I  heard  a 
murmur.  Keiki  signed  with  his  fan,  and  waved 
me  aside. 

Behind  where  I  had  been  standing  was  a  post 
similar  to  the  one  in  the  torture  chamber  of  the 
High  Court.  A  screen  slipped  open,  and  two 
etas  appeared  with  a  woman  between  them.  As 
they  crossed  to  the  post  the  woman  raised  her 
head.  It  was  Kohana  San.  She  smiled  and 
bowed  to  me  as  if  I  had  been  seated  before  her  in 
the  state  audience  hall  of  Owari  Yashiki.  She 
would  have  kowtowed  had  the  pariahs  loosened 
their  brutal  grip  of  her  rounded  arms.  Keiki 
looked  at  her  with  a  devilish  smile. 

"The  complicity  of  the  geisha  in  the  crimes  of 
the  barbarian  is  established,"  he  said.  "She  may 
yet  win  the  mercy  of  a  swift  death  by  confessing 
her  knowledge  of  the  barbarian's  intent  to  betray 
Nippon  to  his  countrymen." 

"Keiki  Sama  already  has  the  answer  of  the 
geisha,"  replied  Kohana  in  her  clear  bell-like  voice. 

[393] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

"Woroto   Sama  came  to  serve  Dai  Nippon,  not 
to  betray." 

"Kohana  forgets.  We  will  aid  her  memory," 
mocked  Keiki. 

The  eta  torturers  dragged  the  girl  to  the  post 
and  lashed  her  fast.  A  silk  cord  was  looped  around 
her  head  and  twisted  tight  with  a  stick. 

"Speak!"  commanded  Keiki. 

"The  truth  has  been  told,"  she  replied. 

The  torturer  with  the  stick  began  to  twist. 
At  the  first  shriek  I  bounded  forward  to  fling 
myself  upon  the  etas.  Guards  rushed  between 
and  bore  me  back.  The  shrieks  died  away  in  a 
moan.  Kohana  had  swooned.  The  cord  was 
relaxed,  and  a  pungent  powder  held  to  the  girl's 
nostrils.  She  revived. 

"Speak!"  commanded  Keiki. 
'The  truth  has  been  told,"  she  gasped. 

Keiki  made  a  sign,  and  the  torturer  again  twisted 
the  cord.  As  it  tightened,  the  agony  became 
greater  than  the  girl  could  bear. 

"Wait!  —  Have  mercy!"  she  screamed. 

"  Loose  the  cord,"  commanded  Keiki,  and  he 
cast  an  exultant  look  at  me.  '*  We  shall  now 
learn  the  truth." 

For  a  few  moments  the  tortured  girl's  bosom  rose 
and  fell  in  gasping  sobs.  At  last  she  summoned 
strength  enough  to  lift  her  head  and  speak.  But 
it  was  not  Keiki  whom  she  addressed.  Her  voice 

[394] 


IN    THE    POWER    OF    MITO 

rang  out  in  the  ecstasy  of  self-sacrifice:  "My 
Lord  Yoritomo!  can  it  be  they  think  I  will  lie  to 
harm  thy  friend?  -  -  To  thee,  my  august  lord, 
the  last  word  of  thy  humble  servant!" 

She  paused.  Blood  gushed  from  between  her 
lips.  Her  head  sank  forward.  One  of  the  etas 
wrenched  open  her  mouth,  and  cried  out  that  she 
had  bitten  off  her  tongue.  Love  had  triumphed 
over  hate.  The  most  frightful  torture  could  not 
now  compel  the  geisha  to  denounce  the  friend  of 
her  dead  lord. 

For  a  moment  I  thought  that  Keiki  would 
hurl  himself  upon  the  heroic  girl.  A  low  murmur 
came  from  behind  the  bamboo  curtains.  Keiki 
signed  to  the  etas.  "Return  the  traitress  to  the 
cage  until  the  time  appointed  for  her  crucifixion." 

"Demon!"  I  cried.     "Beast!     Ainol" 

A  guard  struck  me  a  violent  blow  across  the 
mouth. 

"Fling  the  toad  back  into  his  slime  hole!" 
commanded  Keiki. 

'The  nobles  of  Nippon  are  civilized!"  I  gibed 
at  him  between  my  bleeding  lips. 

The  shot  struck,  though  not  where  I  had  aimed. 

"Stay!"  commanded  a  stern  voice  from  behind 
the  curtains.  'The  barbarian  beast  shall  have 
no  justification  for  his  revilement  of  Mito.  Let 
the  sentence  and  warrant  be  shown  him,  and  let 
him  be  caged  as  a  condemned  daimio." 

[395]' 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

I  had  touched  the  vanity  of  the  hidden  Prince 
of  Mito.  Keiki  bent  to  mutter  a  protest.  For 
answer,  two  documents  were  thrust  out  between 
the  slits  of  the  bamboo  curtain.  Keiki  mustered 
his  courtier's  smile,  and  turned  to  open  the  docu 
ments  before  me,  that  I  might  see  their  vermilion 
seals. 

'  The  sentence  of  the  High  Court,  condemning 
to  death  Woroto  the  tojin  for  discharging  a  firearm 
in  Yedo  -  "he  began. 

'The  Prince  of  Mito  knows  that  this  unjust 
sentence  was  annulled  by  the  express  command 
of  Minamoto  lyeyoshi,"  I  interrupted. 

:'The  Prince  of  Mito  has  received  the  sentence 
of  the  High  Court  and  the  warrant  of  the  Council 
of  Elders,"  replied  Keiki  suavely.  "No  order  of 
annulment  had  been  received  from  Minamoto 
lyeyoshi." 

To  this  I  had  no  answer.  There  could  be  no 
doubt  of  the  duplicity  of  my  enemies.  The 
entire  proceeding  was  illegal.  But  I  was  absolutely 
in  their  power.  To  have  cried  out  in  protest 
would  have  served  only  to  gratify  their  malice. 
Finding  that  I  remained  silent,  Keiki  made  a 
sign.  I  was  led  past  the  gaping  mouth  of  the  pit, 
and  out  through  a  low  opening,  into  a  room  lined 
with  wooden  cages. 

A  samurai  covered   my   wounds   with   plasters 
of  dampened  paper;  a  tattered  silk  kimono  was 
'  [396] 


IN    THE    POWER    OF    MITO 

wrapped  about  me,  and  I  was  thrust  into  one  of  the 
cages.  After  a  time  food  and  tea  were  brought 
and  set  in  between  the  massive  bars.  To  my 
astonishment,  I  discovered  that  I  was  ravenously 
hungry.  I  devoured  the  food,  and  stretched  out 
upon  the  rough  planks  of  my  prison  cell,  overcome 
with  plethora  and  exhaustion.  A  heavy  sleep 
came  to  ease  my  aching  body  and  racked  brain. 


[397] 


CHAPTER    XXXII --LED  OUT  TO  EXECUTION 

FOR  two  days  I  was  kept  caged,  but  fed  and 
waited  upon  by  eta  gaolers  with  utmost 
deference.     Why  there  should  have  been 
such    a    delay    I    could    not    conjecture, 
unless  time  was  required  to  check  some 
move  of  my  friends,  or  unless  Mito  wished  Kohana 
and  myself  to  regain  our  strength,  so  that  we  might 
suffer    the    more    keenly    during    our    execution. 
Utmost   precautions    were    taken    that    I    should 
find  no  means  to  put  an  end  to  myself. 

On  the  third  day  I  was  roused  before  dawn  and 
led  to  a  bathroom.  My  wounds  were  now  almost 
healed,  and  my  full  strength  had  come  back  to 
me.  But  when  I  stepped  from  the  cage,  my  arms 
were  gripped  by  two  samurais  in  such  a  manner 
that  a  slight  twist  would  have  dislocated  the 
shoulder  joints.  Of  this  I  was  given  a  hint,  as 
a  warning  against  any  attempt  to  escape.  Other 
wise  I  was  treated  with  deference.  After  the  bath 
I  was  clad  in  a  worn  but  clean  robe  of  silk,  and 
led  back  to  my  cage  for  breakfast. 

When  I  had  eaten,  I  was  again  asked  to  leave 
the  cage.  As  I  stepped  through  the  opening, 

[398] 


LED    TO    EXECUTION 

etas  seized  me  and  lashed  my  arms  behind  my 
back.  I  was  led  out  to  a  court  crowded  with 
warriors  in  full  armor,  and  forced  into  a  kago, 
over  which  nets  were  wound.  Dawn  had  not 
yet  come,  but  torches  flung  a  weird  and  lurid 
light  over  the  outlandish  figures  of  the  armored 
samurais. 

Another  kago  was  borne  forward  past  mine. 
Within  the  nets  that  enmeshed  it  I  saw  the  bowed 
form  of  a  woman.  She  raised  her  head,  and  I 
perceived  the  pallid  face  of  Kohana.  She  greeted 
me  with  a  smile  that  wrenched  my  heart. 

"Buddha  bless  you!"  I  called.  "Be  strong. 
There  is  one  who  awaits  us  beyond!" 

Her  dark  eyes  glistened  with  tears  of  gratitude 
at  the  words  of  sympathy.  But  the  bearers  of 
her  kago  hastened  past.  She  disappeared  among 
the  close  ranks  of  the  samurais.  A  signal  was 
given,  and  the  torch  bearers  filed  out  of  the  court. 
The  samurais  strutted  after,  with  clanking  armor. 
Others  appeared  and  fell  in  behind  my  kago. 
I  was  borne  out  in  the  midst  of  the  procession. 

Outside  the  gateway  of  the  yashiki,  Keiki, 
mounted  on  an  armored  stallion,  waited  at  the 
head  of  several  thousand  warriors.  The  lowly 
geisha  and  the  despised  tojin  were  to  be  escorted 
through  Yedo  by  an  army  of  samurais  —  though 
not  in  honor. 

Dawn  was  at  hand  as  we  started  along  the  cause- 
[399] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

way  of  the  outer  moat  towards  Owari  Yashiki. 
Far  away,  over  the  western  suburbs  of  the  city, 
I  caught  the  glorious  vision  of  Fuji-yama,  glowing 
high  in  the  blue-black  sky,  like  a  symbol  of  hope 
in  the  night  of  my  despair.  My  spirits  revived 
with  unreasoning  elation.  But  Keiki  led  his 
warriors  on  along  the  causeway,  and  within  the 
half-hour  the  exultant  Mito  men  were  marching 
past  Owari  Yashiki  in  the  full  light  of  dawn, 
with  an  insolent  clamor  of  conches  and  wooden 
clappers.  The  ranks  about  me  opened  out,  that 
I  might  be  seen. 

No  sound  came  from  the  yashiki;  no  face  peered 
from  the  grated  windows.  We  clashed  past  the 
great  gateway.  It  was  closed  tight.  The  Mito 
men  strutted  past,  shouting  in  derision.  No 
band  rushed  out  in  fierce  sortie,  as  I  had  ex 
pected.  No  face  appeared  at  the  windows.  I  was 
abandoned  to  my  fate.  My  head  sank  forward 
upon  my  breast. 

Before  me  rose  a  picture  of  the  beautiful  gardens 
and  fairylike  palace;  of  my  quaint  and  gentle 
little  mother  Tokiwa,  my  stately  father.  But  all 
vanished  before  the  white  face  of  Azai.  A  pang 
of  doubt  and  despair  pierced  my  brain.  Was 
Azai  still  here  in  the  yashiki,  vainly  longing  for 
me?  —  had  she  gone  before  me,  with  her  dirk 
through  that  white  throat?  —  or  had  she  been  taken 
away  to  be  given  to  Keiki?  I  muttered  a  curse 

[400] 


LED    TO    EXECUTION 

upon  my  friends.  I  was  being  borne  past  the  end 
of  Owari  Yashiki,  and  not  even  Yuki  my  sword- 
bearer  had  struck  a  blow  for  me.  .  .  . 

Down  through  west  and  south  Yedo  was  a 
long  and  tedious  march.  But  I  failed  to  heed  the 
passage  of  time.  I  had  sunk  into  a  lethargy  of 
despair.  Only  once  I  roused  up.  They  were 
bearing  me  past  the  groves  of  Shiba,  now  glorious 
with  the  tints  of  autumn.  The  northeast  monsoon, 
after  weeks  of  steady  effort,  had  blown  the 
moisture  of  the  Japan  Current  southward.  The 
air  was  as  clear  as  crystal,  the  blue  sky  cloudless. 
It  was  no  day  to  lead  a  man  out  to  a  hideous 
death  -- 1  should  have  been  strolling  through  the 
gardens  with  Azai.  .  .  . 

On  to  the  Tokaido,  and  down  along  the  bay 
shore  through  Shinagawa,  marched  the  grimly 
grotesque  warriors  of  antique  Nippon.  It  seemed 
a  lifetime  since  my  dear  brother  had  led  me  after 
the  cortege  of  Satsuma,  through  the  black  gate 
and  along  the  broad  way  and  down  that  narrow 
street  to  the  house  of  Kohana.  Now  the  geisha 
was  going  with  me  to  meet  him  —  through  the 
black  gate  of  death! 

At  the  southern  boundary  of  Shinagawa  the  main 
force  of  our  escort  halted.  We  were  borne  onward, 
guarded  only  by  a  hundred  swordsmen  and  an 
equal  number  of  pikemen.  We  came  to  the 
pillory  upon  which  I  had  seen  the  five  heads. 

[401] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

My  bearers  swung  past.  This  was  not  the  place 
where  we  were  to  suffer. 

Out  on  the  blue  bay  I  saw  great  foundations 
of  stone  rising  from  the  shoals  that  barred  the 
approach  to  Yedo.  Toiling  workers  swarmed  over 
and  about  the  half-constructed  forts,  to  which 
strings  of  sampans  were  lightering  blocks  of  stone 
from  junks  that  lay  in  the  offing.  Other  craft 
sailed  up  or  down  the  bay,  or  lay  at  anchor  in  the 
deeper  water  down  towards  the  tall  white  tower 
on  the  cape  opposite  Kawasaki. 

Sailor  bred,  I  looked  out  upon  the  wide  bay 
with  a  sudden  rousing  from  lethargy.  Wind, 
waves,  swelling  sails  —  all  spoke  of  life  and  free 
dom.  If  only  the  majestic  Susquehanna  might 
come  steaming  around  that  towered  cape!  I 
could  see  the  grotesque  warriors  about  me  scuttling 
like  crabs  before  the  thunder  of  the  tojin  cannon. 

But  Perry  had  promised  the  reluctant  Shogunate 
many  months  for  deliberation,  and  I  had  heard 
the  report  from  Nagasaki  that  the  Tai-ping 
rebellion  was  raging  in  China.  I  could  hope  for 
no  aid  either  from  my  own  countrymen  or  the 
ships  of  any  other  Western  power.  The  lives 
and  property  of  white  men  were  endangered  at 
Shanghai  by  the  Chinese  rebels.  It  was  no  time 
for  squadrons  to  be  cruising  along  the  remote 
coasts  of  Japan. 

We  approached  Omori.  A  group  of  villagers 
[402] 


LED    TO    EXECUTION 

shouted  at  me  in  derision,  and  ran  ahead  of  our 
party.  Others  joined  them  by  the  score.  The 
news  spread  down  the  Tokaido.  I  saw  men  in 
silk  robes,  white-clad  pilgrims,  and  even  priests, 
cutting  across  towards  the  bay  shore.  Keiki 
turned  off  the  Tokaido.  We  had  come  to  the 
execution  ground.  The  mailed  samurais  clattered 
through  the  midst  of  the  motley  crowd  assembled 
to  gloat  upon  the  torture  of  the  victims.  There 
were  peasants  and  fishermen,  merchants  and 
porters,  cowled  priests  and  pilgrims,  and  a 
scattering  of  ronins. 

But  I  had  no  eyes  for  those  who  had  come  to 
see  me  suffer.  The  Mito  men  were  lining  out  to 
right  and  left.  I  was  borne  past  after  Kohana 
to  the  edge  of  the  hideous  blood  pit.  Bones 
crunched  under  the  iron-shod  sandals  of  my 
bearers.  All  about  me  the  ground  was  composed 
more  of  the  dead  of  countless  executions  than  of 
soil. 

Before  us  stood  a  heavy  post  with  cross-beams 
at  top  and  bottom.  A  few  paces  to  the  left  was 
a  massive  gibbet  with  a  chain  dangling  from  its 
arm.  Eta  executioners  advanced,  bearing  a  huge 
copper  kettle,  which  they  swung  to  the  chain 
of  the  gibbet.  Oil  was  poured  into  the  kettle, 
and  a  fire  lighted  below. 

The  etas  came  to  my  kago  and  unwound  the 
nets.  But  as  they  dragged  me  out,  Keiki  called 

[403] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

to  them.  One  took  up  his  position  beside  me, 
ready  to  catch  me  with  a  grappling-hook  should 
I  attempt  to  run.  The  others  went  to  Kohana's 
kago.  She  was  dragged  out  and  taken  to  the 
cross,  which  was  directly  in  front  of  me,  less  than 
six  yards  away. 

The  etas  tore  the  robes  from  about  her  shoulders. 
The  first  dancer  of  Yedo  stood  before  the  gaping 
mob  nude  to  the  waist.  In  a  twinkling  she  was 
triced  up  to  the  cross,  her  tender  wrists  lashed 
to  the  upper  arm,  her  ankles  to  the  lower.  An 
eta  brought  a  sheaf  of  slender  lances  and  handed 
one  to  his  chief. 

The  executioner  moved  around  and  put  the 
lance  tip  to  the  girl's  side.  I  knew  that  his 
purpose  was  to  pierce  upwards  through  her  body 
without  striking  a  vital  organ.  My  eyelids  fell. 
I  could  not  endure  the  sight.  But  again  Keiki 
interfered. 

"Hold!"  he  commanded,  and  he  rode  forward 
until  between  me  and  the  gibbet.  "Wait  until 
the  oil  is  heated.  You  may  miss  your  thrust. 
The  girl  may  not  linger  long  enough  to  enjoy  the 
first  dipping  of  the  tojin  beast." 

"My  lord,"  protested  the  eta,  "it  is  known  to 
you  that  I  have  more  than  once  thrust  through 
two  and  even  three  spears  from  each  side,  yet 
death  did  not  follow  until  after  many  hours. 
This  is  one  who  can  endure  much." 

[404] 


LED    TO    EXECUTION 

Keiki  did  not  deign  to  reply.  The  executioner 
drew  aside  a  step.  The  crowd  pressed  closer, 
and  an  oppressive  hush  fell  upon  all.  The  gloat 
ing  spectators  stared  from  myself  to  Kohana  and 
from  her  to  the  great  kettle,  where  the  etas  were 
casting  brush  and  faggots  on  the  fire. 

Even  the  certainty  of  torture  cannot  hold  the 
mind  to  any  one  thought  for  many  moments. 
I  found  myself  heeding  such  trifles  as  the  downward 
swoop  of  a  flock  of  gulls  and  the  heat  of  the  mid 
day  sun  upon  my  bare  head.  I  noticed  with  idle 
curiosity  that  those  of  the  crowd  who  had  pressed 
forward  on  each  side  were  nearly  all  men  of  the 
lower  classes.  The  upper-class  men  held  back 
behind  the  guards,  seemingly  ashamed  of  their 
morbid  curiosity. 

Gazing  out  over  the  bay,  I  began  to  count  the 
junks  and  fishing  smacks.  Sampans  came  and 
went  between  the  anchored  craft.  From  a  junk 
that  lay  opposite  us  a  large  sharp-bowed  boat 
was  sculling  leisurely  shoreward.  I  flushed  with 
petulant  anger  at  the  thought  that  here  was  another 
party  coming  to  see  us  tortured,  yet  too  indifferent 
to  hasten. 

The  purring  voice  of  Keiki  recalled  me  to  the 
horror  of  the  situation. 

"  The  kettle  boils,"  he  called.     "  Proceed." 

The  chief  executioner  stepped  forward  with  his 
spear.  I  caught  a  farewell  glance  from  Kohana. 

[  405  ] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

She  raised  her  face  to  the  sun.  I  turned  my  head 
aside  —  and  found  myself  gazing  into  the  white 
face  of  Azai. 

I  stared,  stupefied.  She  was  wrapped  about  in 
the  white  dress  of  a  pilgrim,  the  dress  of  mourning. 
Had  she  come  to  die  with  me?  That  thought 
was  more  fearful  than  the  thought  of  death  in 
the  boiling  oil. 

A  man  in  white  behind  her  looked  up,  so  that 
I  saw  his. face  under  the  broad  hat  brim.  My 
heart  leaped.  I  was  to  die  a  merciful  death  — 
I  and  Azai,  my  wife.  Yuki  had  not  failed  me! 


[406] 


CHAPTER    XXXIII --BARED    BLADES 

A  DART    whirred     past     me,    to     drive 
through  the  mid-body  of  the  execu 
tioner  as  he  bent  to  thrust  his  lance. 
In     the     same     instant     Yuki     flung 
off  his  pilgrim  robe  and    leaped    at 
Keiki  with  outflashing  sword,  his  burnished  armor 
glittering  in  the  sun-glare. 

Sudden  as  was  the  attack,  Keiki  flung  himself 
away  from  the  stroke  with  such  quickness  that 
the  blade  barely  cut  through  the  mail  on  his 
side.  Wrenched  about  by  the  powerful  bit,  his 
stallion  reared  above  Yuki.  Instantly  the  sword- 
master  struck  a  slashing  upward  blow  that  half 
severed  the  beast's  neck  at  the  base. 

I  saw  the  stallion  rolling  over  upon  his  rider  - 
a  score  of  Mito  warriors  were  leaping  to  drive 
back  Yuki-- 1  saw  Azai  darting  towards  me. 
All  about  me  was  a  wild  swirl  of  shrieking,  fleeing 
commonfolk,  of  Mito  men  yelling  and  slashing 
in  blind  fury,  and  crestless  warriors,  still  half 
disguised,  who  had  already  cut  down  their  own 
number  of  Mito  men.  I  sprang  to  meet  Azai. 
The  eta  with  the  hook  grappled  my  robe  and 
dragged  me  to  the  ground. 

[407] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

Azai  sprang  past  me.  I  twisted  about  and  saw 
her  strike  at  the  stooping  eta.  The  pariah  fell 
inert,  pierced  through  the  nape  of  his  neck.  A 
mob  of  yelling,  slashing  warriors  surged  about  us. 
Azai  flung  herself  upon  me  to  shield  me  with  her 
tender  body.  A  Mito  man  fell  heavily  across  us, 
the  blood  gushing  from  a  great  wound  in  his 
breast.  I  heard  the  triumphant  shout  of  Yuki. 
The  wave  of  fighting  men  surged  back. 

My  bonds  parted  under  Azai's  dirk  edge.  She 
sprang  up  and  tugged  with  her  girlish  strength 
to  help  me  to  my  feet.  From  the  bosom  of  her 
robe  she  plucked  out  my  revolvers,  first  one  and 
then  the  other.  As  I  caught  them  from  her,  I 
glanced  around  at  the  wild  melee.  A  group  of 
Mito  men  were  dragging  their  lord  from  under 
his  horse.  The  mass  were  closing  in  upon  my 
rescuers,  who  had  rallied  writh  Yuki  to  drive  them 
back  from  me.  All  told,  his  followers  numbered 
less  than  fifty.  Though  picked  men,  they  were 
falling  fast  before  the  overwhelming  numbers  of 
the  Mito  men.  The  pikemen  in  the  rear  ranks 
thrust  at  them  over  the  shoulders  of  the  Mito 
swordsmen. 

"My  lord!  to  the  shore  —  the  boat!"  cried  Azai. 

"First  free  Kohana!"  I  commanded. 

With  unquestioning  obedience,  she  ran  with  me 
to  the  cross  and  slashed  at  the  bonds  of  the  geisha. 
A  Mito  man  charged  upon  me  from  the  side. 

[408] 


BARED    BLADES 

I  shot  him  through  the  centre  of  his  demonic  face 
mask.  Kohana  fell  free  from  the  cross.  Our 
defenders  were  giving  back. 

"To  the  boat!  —  to  the  boat!"  I  shouted. 

"To  the  boat!"  yelled  Keiki. 

I  thrust  Azai  and  Kohana  before  me,  to  rush 
past  the  kettle  gibbet.  Our  defenders  came 
backing  after  us,  now  rallying,  now  retreating. 
Keiki's  voice  called  from  the  midst  of  the  Mito 
men,  and  half  a  hundred  came  charging  around  to 
flank  and  head  us  off.  I  began  to  fire.  But  the 
Mito  men  were  not  to  be  stopped  by  my  balls. 
They  rushed  in  upon  us.  I  drew  Azai  back. 
Kohana  was  too  quick  for  me.  She  sprang  aside  to 
the  gibbet.  An  oil  dipper  was  lying  upon  the 
ground.  She  caught  it  up  and  dipped  into  the 
boiling  oil.  With  a  skilful  sweep  she  dashed 
the  seething  fluid  into  the  faces  of  the  foremost 
warriors.  Shrieking  in  agony,  they  turned  to 
fly.  Again  the  girl  dipped  and  flung,  and  again, 
in  quick  succession.  The  Mito  leaders  plunged 
back  amongst  those  behind,  in  wild  panic. 

Another  ladle  lay  beside  the  kettle.  I  caught  it 
up  and  helped  fling  out  the  oil  at  those  who  would 
have  boiled  me  in  it.  The  Mito  men  of  the 
flanking  party  turned  and  rushed  back  among 
those  who  were  engaged  in  furious  struggle  with 
our  defenders,  throwing  them  into  momentary 
confusion. 

[409] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

The  moment  was  not  lost  by  Yuki.  At  his 
shout,  our  men  closed  about  us.  The  ladles  were 
taken  from  Kohana  and  me,  and  we  were  swept 
forward  with  Azai.  The  Mito  men,  charging 
after  us,  were  again  thrown  into  confusion  by 
ladlefuls  of  seething  oil.  They  spread  out  on 
either  side  to  close  around  us.  But  we  had  gained 
a  slight  start. 

A  few  yards  offshore  I  saw  waiting  the  large 
scullboat.  Naked  rowers  stood  ready  at  their 
long  sweeps.  The  shoreward  gunwale  was  lined 
with  women,  dressed  in  black  robes  and  stiff 
black  hats  and  armed  with  halberds. 

The  Mito  men  closed  in  again  upon  our  rear  and 
flanks,  and  sought  desperately  to  push  forward  and 
head  us.  Our  men  fought  them  off  with  still 
greater  desperation.  The  shore  was  not  far. 
Five  and  twenty  men  were  left  when  we  gained 
the  beach  and  splashed  down  into  the  water. 
Yuki,  though  severely  wounded,  yet  fought  best 
of  all,  spurring  his  fellows  to  superhuman  efforts 
with  his  cries. 

Down  the  beach  with  us  plunged  the  Mito  men, 
goaded  on  by  the  furious  commands  of  their  lord. 
I  caught  a  glimpse  of  his  bright-armored  figure 
upborne  between  two  of  his  retainers.  But  my 
pistol  ball  glanced  on  the  shoulder-piece  of  a 
warrior  who  leaped  before  him  down  the  bank. 
Azai  slipped  upon  the  slimy  clay  bottom.  I 

[410] 


BARED    BLADES 

caught  her  up  and  plunged  forward,  dragging 
Kohana  by  the  arm. 

On  either  side  of  us  Mito  warriors  and  our  own 
men  fell  maimed  into  the  muddied  water,  to 
flounder  and  drown.  A  dozen  of  the  enemy  dashed 
ahead  to  board  the  boat.  The  samurai  women, 
led  by  O  Setsu  San,  screamed  defiance  and  struck 
at  the  mailed  warriors  with  skilful  blows  of  their 
halberds.  Only  two  of  the  enemy  gained  the  side 
of  the  boat.  Both  were  overtaken  and  cut  down 
by  the  foremost  of  our  party. 

Almost  outspent,  we  floundered  forward  through 
the  knee-deep  water  to  the  boat.  O  Setsu  San 
and  her  samurai  women  beat  off  the  Mito  men  with 
their  halberds  while  we  clambered  aboard.  I 
swung  Azai  and  then  Kohana  over  the  gunwale, 
and  vaulted  in  after  them.  A  few  of  our  men  were 
in  before  me.  Such  of  the  others  as  had  not 
fallen  came  staggering  alongside,  all  wounded. 
The  stronger  ones  paused  to  meet  the  furious 
attempt  of  the  Mito  men  to  overwhelm  them  and 
capture  the  boat. 

The  women  whirled  their  halberds,  the  naked 
oarsmen  beat  at  the  Mito  men  with  their  sweeps. 
I  fired  every  cartridge  that  remained  in  my  revol 
vers,  and  shouted  for  all  to  climb  aboard.  Those 
already  in  the  boat  stood  with  brandished  swords. 
Those  in  the  water  turned  to  clamber  over  the 
gunwale.  The  Mito  men  rushed  after.  The 

[411] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

women  redoubled  their  blows.  Yuki  still  stood 
with  his  face  to  the  enemy,  and  shouted  to  the 
oarsmen  to  back  offshore.  The  brave  man  meant 
to  stand  where  he  was  and  guard  our  retreat 
until  cut  down.  I  reached  over  and  dragged  him 
alongside. 

The  boat  had  begun  to  back  water  under  the 
powerful  strokes  of  the  scullers.  Finding  that 
I  would  not  release  him,  Yuki  turned  and  leaped 
aboard.  I  caught  up  the  sword  of  a  man  who  lay 
dying,  and  thrust  out  at  the  Mito  men  as  they 
grasped  at  the  boat's  bows.  Yuki  and  such  of 
his  men  as  could  still  fight  beat  at  the  enemy, 
slashing  through  the  mailed  arms  that  sought 
to  hold  the  boat.  But  the  brave  women  did  far 
more  with  their  halberds. 

With  a  cry  of  triumph,  we  beat  off  the  last 
Mito  man  and  swept  clear.  I  glanced  about  and 
saw  Azai  fling  down  a  halberd  to  kneel  beside 
one  of  the  wounded  men.  O  Setsu  and  Kohana 
and  all  the  other  women  dropped  their  halberds  to 
follow  the  example  of  their  mistress. 

Yuki  sheathed  his  hacked  sword  and  sank  down 
before  me,  the  blood  oozing  through  his  riven 
armor. 

"My  lord,"  he  murmured,  "Owari  could  not 
strike,  but  ronins  could.  Your  august  father  gave 
me  the  best  swordsmen  of  the  clan.  It  is  for  my 
lord  to  win  his  way  over  the  sea  to  Kagoshima. 

[412] 


BARED    BLADES 

Satsuma-no-kami  pledges  shelter  to  my  lord  and 
his  wife,  the  Shogun's  daughter.  Farewell,  my 
lord!  I  go  now." 

He  sank  prostrate  at  my  feet.  At  my  cry, 
Azai  darted  to  me,  and  after  her  O  Setsu.  Other 
women  aided  them  to  strip  off  the  broken  armor. 
They  would  save  him  if  he  might  be  saved. 

I  sprang  up  to  order  the  boat  brought  about. 
The  Mito  men  had  floundered  after  us  till  the 
water  came  to  their  armpits.  They  could  come 
no  farther.  No  man  could  swim  in  armor 
such  as  weighted  them  down.  At  my  command 
the  scullers  brought  the  boat  around,  bows  on, 
and  headed  her  for  the  nearest  junk.  She  drove 
forward,  out  across  the  dancing  whitecaps,  at 
racing  speed. 

Aboard  the  junk  the  crew  was  shortening  cable, 
ready  to  weigh  anchor  and  set  sail.  One  of  the 
wounded  men  called  to  me  and  pointed  to  the 
shore.  Mito  warriors,  stripped  of  their  armor, 
were  running  swiftly  towards  Yedo.  Others 
waved  banners  and  garments,  in  frantic  efforts 
to  signal  the  many  passing  junks  and  boats.  A 
fishing  smack  sheered  out  of  its  course  to  inter 
cept  us,  but  bore  off  again  at  sight  of  our  bared 
blades. 

We  raced  on,  the  long  sculls  bowing  under  the 
powerful  strokes  of  the  rowers.  These  men,  too, 
were  Owari  retainers.  They  stood  in  their  places 

[413] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

and  thrust  at  the  handles  of  their  sweeps  with 
their  broad  chests,  rejoiced  to  serve  him  who  had 
been  the  chief  of  the  clan. 

The  poop  of  the  junk  reared  high  before  us. 
The  hope  in  my  heart  rose  to  a  certainty.  There 
was  no  gaping  hole  in  the  stern  of  the  clumsy 
craft.  She  was  one  of  the  junks  that  the  Shogun- 
ate  had  sought  to  convert  into  a  warship.  I 
remembered  that  my  clan  had  offered  to  equip 
and  man  part  of  the  fleet. 

We  shot  alongside.  Lines  were  flung  to  us  and 
made  fast.  The  rowers  helped  us  lift  the  disabled 
warriors  up  over  the  low  bulwarks  amidships, 
while  the  junk's  crew  weighed  anchor  and  hoisted 
their  great  square  sail.  Two  men  had  died  of 
their  wounds.  But  Yuki  still  breathed.  He  was 
lifted  aboard  and  carried  into  the  cabin,  followed 
by  Azai  and  O  Setsu  and  Kohana. 

As  the  ship  came  about,  the  crew  shouted  and 
pointed  up  the  bay.  A  squadron  of  war-junks 
and  guard-boats  were  bearing  down  upon  us. 
The  women  were  all  aboard.  I  scrambled  after 
with  the  rowers.  Stones  were  flung  down  into  the 
boat  to  scuttle  her,  and  she  was  cast  adrift  with 
the  two  dead  men. 

With  the  monsoon  blowing  fresh  on  her  port 
quarter,  the  junk  was  already  beginning  to  run 
down  the  bay  at  a  rate  that  surprised  me.  The 
bronzed  skipper  came  pattering  down  from  beside 

[414] 


BARED    BLADES 

his  huge  tiller  to  kowtow  to  his  august  lord.  I 
ordered  him  to  rise  and  come  aft  with  me  up  on 
the  high  poop. 

The  pursuing  squadron  had  ceased  to  gain  on 
us  as  at  the  first.  Most  of  the  craft  were  falling 
astern,  but  one  at  least  was  still  creeping  up  on 
us.  The  skipper  admitted  that  she  was  slightly 
the  better  sailer  on  the  wind,  and  that  she  carried 
a  number  of  bronze  pieces.  His  own  cannon  had 
not  yet  been  shipped. 

A  few  inquiries  brought  me  the  information  that 
he  had  aboard  spare  sailcloth  and  spars.  Within 
the  minute  I  had  his  crew  rigging  jibs  and  staysails. 
There  was  no  time  to  cut  and  sew  canvas.  The 
sheets  were  knotted  and  rigged  in  a  manner  to 
shame  a  marine.  Yet  even  the  first  jib  that  was 
set  drew  enough  to  offset  the  difference  in  the  speed 
of  our  foremost  pursuer. 

After  jibs  followed  staysails,  and  last  of  all, 
studding-sails.  The  junk  heeled  over  under  the 
freshening  wind  and  drove  down  the  bay  at  a 
speed  that  astonished  the  incoming  craft.  Finding 
themselves  fast  falling  astern,  our  pursuers  opened 
fire  with  their  feeble  carronades.  We  cheered, 
and  hauled  to  our  peak  the  first  national  flag 
authorized  by  the  Shogunate,  —  a  red  ball  on  a 
white  field. 

The  many  craft  which  we  met  or  passed  mistook 
the  firing  of  our  pursuers  for  salutes  and  cheered 

[415] 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

us  as  we  drove  by  in  our  swift  flight.  Within 
two  hours  we  were  flying  past  the  out  jutting  point 
on  the  east  coast  which  had  given  Yoritomo  and 
me  so  much  concern  that  wild  night  in  June. 

We  stood  boldly  on  down  past  the  cape  above 
Uraga.  In  the  narrower  waters  of  the  bay  between 
us  and  Cape  Sagami,  government  guard-boats 
sculled  to  and  fro  in  vigilant  patrol.  We  drove  on 
past  Uraga  without  putting  in,  as  the  regulations 
required.  Guard-boat  signalled  to  guard-boat. 
They  sculled  swiftly  athwart  our  course,  signalling 
for  us  to  lay  to.  Some  we  slipped  past;  others 
backed  water  to  escape  being  run  down,  firing  at 
us  with  their  ineffective  swivels.  Two  managed 
to  strike  in  alongside.  But  we  cut  loose  their 
grappling-hooks  before  their  crews  could  board  us. 

By  mid-afternoon  we  cleared  the  last  of  the 
guard-boats  off  Cape  Sagami.  Before  us  opened 
the  broad  gulf  of  the  outer  bay,  beyond  which 
rolled  the  illimitable  expanse  of  the  Pacific,  —  the 
broad  lap  of  Freedom!  We  had  won  our  way  out 
of  the  clutches  of  Mito. 

I  set  our  course  between  the  smoking  mass  of 
Vries  Island  and  the  distant  coast  of  Idzu  and 
ordered  the  studding-sails  struck.  We  had  now 
only  to  coast  down  Hondo  and  Shikoku  and 
Kyushu  to  Cape  Satanomi  before  the  steady  drive 
of  the  northeast  monsoon,  —  a  rough  voyage 
against  the  Japan  Current  in  any  craft,  yet  one 

[416] 


BARED    BLADES 

fairly  safe  at  this  season  even  for  our  unwieldy 
junk.     The  typhoon  season  was  past. 

I  went  down  into  the  cabin,  where  mats  had 
been  laid  and  silk  drapes  hung  for  the  son  of 
Owari.  There,  alone  in  the  largest  room,  I  found 
the  Shogun's  daughter,  waiting  to  salute  and  serve 
her  lord.  She  kowtowed  before  me,  her  forehead 
upon  her  tiny  hands.  I  bent  and  caught  her  up 
in  my  arms,  and  pressed  my  lips  upon  her  little 
inouth,  after  the  manner  of  the  tojins. 


[417] 


CHAPTER  XXXIV  —  CONCLUSION 

THE  last  page  of  my  narrative  is  finished. 
I  lay  it  aside  with  the   others   and 
gaze  out  through  the  open  balcony 
of  my  tower  room  upon  the  majesti 
cally  beautiful  stretch  of  Kagoshima 
Bay.     From  this  pagoda  eyrie  I  can  look  with 
equal  ease  down  the  blue  gulf  and  upon  the  gray 
roofs  of  the  city  beneath  the  castle  height. 

There,  in  the  mouth  of  the  inlet,  off  the  volcanic 
island  in  the  head  of  the  bay,  is  the  anchorage 
where  the  Sea  Flight  lay  that  eventful  night  for 
Fate  to  send  me  my  brother  Yoritomo. 

My  thoughts  wander  from  the  classroom  below 
me  where,  as  honorable  and  honored  teacher  of 
the  tojin  learning,  I  instruct  the  young  samurais 
of  my  great  friend  Satsuma.  I  pass  in  rapid 
review  those  eventful  months  in  Yedo.  I  recall 
the  sacrifice  of  my  dear  friend  and  rejoice  to 
know  that  the  years  promise  a  maturing  of  good 
fruit  from  the  seed  sown  by  his  spirit  and  watered 
with  his  blood.  I  recall  how  even  Mito  and  the 
cautious  Abe  were  forced  to  accept  the  treaty 
they  abhorred,  by  the  menace  of  Perry's  black 
ships,  in  the  Spring  of  fifty-four. 

[418] 


CONCLUSION 

The  brother  of  the  sweetest  woman  on  earth 
or  in  Heaven  still  sits  on  the  stool  of  the  Sei-i-tai 
Shogun.  But  now  li  Kamon-no-kami  the  Great 
Elder  holds  the  place  of  Abe,  and  seconds  the 
efforts  of  the  wise  first  consul  to  Japan,  the 
American  Townsend  Harris.  Word  has  come  that 
the  treaty  for  the  opening  of  ports  to  commerce 
and  intercourse  will  be  signed.  The  Shogunate 
and  feudalism  verge  towards  their  inevitable 
fall.  But  the  truth  must  penetrate  to  the  ears  of 
our  sacred  Mikado  through  the  age-old  barriers  of 
ignorance  and  prejudice.  I  see  a  new  Japan. 

A  hand  touches  my  arm  with  the  lightness  of 
a  perching  butterfly.  I  turn  and  draw  to  me  my 
wife,  the  Shogun's  daughter,  and  press  my  lips 
upon  her  coral  mouth.  So  much  I  have  retained 
of  my  tojin  manners. 

She  withdraws  her  soft  arms  from  about  my 
neck,  and  glides  back  to  kneel  before  her  lord 
and  clap  her  hands  gently.  There  i$  no  responsive 
"Hai!"  -but  through  the  entrance  floats  a 
graceful  woman,  bearing  a  blue-eyed  baby  girl. 
Little  Azai  is  handed  to  her  mother,  while  Kohana 
San  smiles  the  greeting  she  cannot  speak,  and 
kowtows  to  the  master. 

A  sturdy  boy  of  four  rushes  in  to  fling  himself 
down  before  his  august  father  in  the  required 
salute.  But  there  is  a  light  not  altogether  Nippon 
ese  in  his  lustrous  black  eyes  as  he  springs  up  to 

[4191 


THE    SHOGUN'S    DAUGHTER 

tell  of  his  war  game  with  his  playmates  in  the 
castle  garden. 

And  O  Setsu  San?  She  still  attends  upon  the 
Shogun's  daughter  when  not  serving  her  lord 
and  husband,  the  Swordmaster  of  Kagoshima, 
once  known  as  Yuki  the  ronin.  But  of  the 
august  Prince  of  Owari  and  his  quaint  and  dainty 
lady  Tokiwa,  who  for  a  time  I  called  father  and 
mother,  —  from  them  I  have  been  cut  off  as  from 
the  dead. 

Kagoshima  is  far  from  Yedo,  yet  even  Shimadzu 
Nariakira,  Daimio  of  Satsuma,  dare  not  whisper 
abroad  the  secret  of  my  presence  among  his 
counsellors.  For  Keiki  and  old  Rekko  still  plot 
and  intrigue  in  the  capital  of  my  wife's  august 
brother,  and  in  Kyoto  the  Son  of  Heaven  still 
dwells  in  the  Past,  and  in  his  eyes  the  hairy  tojins 
are  beasts  and  demons. 

May  Ama-terasu,  bright  Goddess  of  the  Sun, 
soon  illumine  the  night  of  Kyoto  with  her  rays 
of  truth! 


THE    END 


[420] 


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